Cigars are the tobacco product of choice for countless tobacco enthusiasts around the country and the world.
But there is a select group of smokers that still smoke tobacco the way it was originally enjoyed the world over: in the bowl of a tobacco smoking pipe.
There is very little more enjoyable, and simple, in life than sitting back in a comfortable chair, whisky of choice in hand, and briar wood or meerschaum pipe in the other.
This is a very (very!) short primer on how to pack, light, and enjoy pipes and tobacco the right way.
Packing a Pipe
Pipe tobacco is packed, stored, and distributed in a number of different configurations, including loose ribbon tobacco, as well as plug, rope, and cake tobacco, among others.
This short guide will deal with ribbon tobacco. Take a pinch of tobacco between your index and middle fingers and thumb and drop it into your pipe’s bowl.
Using your tamper, press the tobacco down until it is compacted about halfway to the bottom of the bowl.
Refill the bowl with tobacco and tamp down once more. It should be about ¾ full. Most pipe smokers stop here, but you can fill it up once more and tamp it down, and the bowl will be nearly full.
Be careful not to tamp your tobacco down too tightly. This will make it difficult to draw and to establish and maintain a light.
First Light
If you’re using a match, strike it and allow the head to burn off completely. You can light a lighter and use it right away.
Apply the flame to the top of the tobacco, circulating the flame over the top of the pack as you draw gently in through your mouth.
After the first few puffs, the tobacco in the bowl will have expanded and “unpacked” itself a little.
Tamp it back down and repeat the process; do not draw the smoke into your lungs, only into your mouth and throat; you may retrohale if you like.
Establishing a Cherry
Often, the first match or pass with a lighter does not establish a cherry. To do so, you’ll need to apply a light once more.
Each time you light the pipe, draw a few puffs, then tamp down lightly on the pack while drawing. This will apply heat to the tobacco under pressure and help establish a light.
It is normal for pipes to go out during a smoking session so repeat the process if needed during the smoke.
Smoking
A few things should be noted while smoking a pipe.
It is entirely possible to smoke a pipe too quickly. Smoking too quickly will make the tobacco burn too hot and will adversely affect the flavor. Smoking too quickly can also cause tar and condensation to accumulate in the stem, making the pipe “gurgle.”
Pipe stems can be cleared while smoking, but the best thing to do is simply not to smoke too quickly in the first place. A puff or a few puffs every minute is plenty; more than that, and you’re smoking too fast.
It is far preferable to smoke a pipe too slowly and to have to relight it than to smoke it too quickly.
Also, inhaling pipe tobacco is never a good idea. Pipe tobacco is richer and heavier than cigarette tobacco and most cigar tobacco. It’s very easy to overdo it with nicotine by inhaling a pipe.
Savor the flavors on your tongue and in your throat, and retrohale if you appreciate that, but do not inhale a pipe.
Ready to Get Started with Pipes and Tobacco?
Ready to try out the pipe smoking experience for yourself? You’ll need, at a minimum:
●A pipe and tobacco
●A lighter or matches
●A pipe tool with a tamper
That’s it! Other tools and smoking accessories, such as pipe filters, pipe cleaners, reamers, and picks are nice to have but not entirely necessary, especially for your first smoke.
If you’re looking for high-quality pipes and tobacco, look no further than Rocky’s Cigars online at RockysCigars.com. Don’t let the name fool you; in addition to a wide range of premium cigars, they also sell some choice pipe tobaccos, including but not limited to blends from Sutliff, Stokkebye, and Lane.
Visit their website today for more information or contact their customer service department for assistance at 888-216-5834.
