Another pipe dedication thread

[MisterE]

I recently tried JKP (the new version) in one of my Sasieni 4 Dots and it was a perfect match. This is actually a fairly rare event. A pipe, which from the word "go" just works with a particular blend. It's only happened to me on a few occasions and, boy, you know it when it happens. It's probably within the same probability range of finding an actual "bad briar" pipe. That one pipe that works with absolutely nothing. I've only found one of those ever.

This particular pipe was low on the roster because it doesn't perform that well with VaPers. Not a bad pipe, but it never really delivered a spectacular smoke in comparison with my pipes that do.

I don't smoke a lot of JKP, but when I do- I got the pipe for it. I've smoked around 8-10 bowls now and every one was out-a-sight. :cheers: 8) :king:

 

[Harlock999]

Sweet!
It's a good feeling when the right
wood, leaf and smoker all find each other!

 

[Isagar]

I usually always try a new blend in a cob. After a handful of smokes later, once I confirmed that the blend is going into my regular rotation, I would look up my undedicated pipes for a match.

And funny or strangely enough, I would always match it based on intuition. Can't really explain the theory behind it but I just feel a particular shape/finish goes with a particular taste.

Of course that would leave a lot to doubt about whether a particular pipe can bring out the best in a blend. But I settle that based on the theory that if I like the taste in general, I would like it regardless of briar.

 

[Smoker99]

My experience, a tobacco always smokes best in a dedicated pipe.

 

[Hermit]

"New version?"

 

[Briar Spirit]

JKP is one of the best tobaccos I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing, and not in small order thanks to you yourself on one occasion 'E' :heart: , when the mood suits (and that's all day long when one has JKP to hand) nothing compares for a full bodied thoroughly enjoyable smoke. :cheers:

Sadly it is way too expensive here in the UK now at £16.50 for 2oz these days but I have very fond memories of this fine tobacco, how do you mean 'new version', I didn't know Greg had brought out a new version!?

 

[HCraven]

"New version?"

Perhaps the ready rubbed version?

 

[Anonymous]

JKP? Excuse me? Keep it up and the only thing smoked will be you.

ROFL

 

[MisterE]

JKP? Excuse me? Keep it up and the only thing smoked will be you.

ROFL

:lol!:

 

[Puff Daddy]

Dedication is a tricky thing, at least for me. Usually a pipe is bought with a particular tobacco in mind, or at least a genre of tobacco. Sometimes intuition gets it right and the pipe and tobacco are a perfect match, but that can be a seriously hit and miss business. Certainly a pipe can simply be forced into submission and the end results accepted as good enough, but it's those smooth, cruise control smokes we search for, and predetermining that outcome can be very iffy at best. As Yak says, pipes are female. Dude is right.

One can begin to pick up traits over time though, and that can make the matchmaker game easier. For instance, I've found (as have most of us) that certain shapes produce better results with certain blends, and that certain makers produce pipes that seem to shine with certain varieties of tobacco. Greg Pease mentioned several times the brightness of Castello wood and how it enhances certain tobaccos. I've found some of my own flavor biases with other common pipe makers, and matching that flavor profile with compatible bowl size and shape seriously increases the odds of success.

You have to just keep working at it and pay attention to similarities when it works well.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Cool deal, E. So far my only "10" pipe/tobacco combo has been two--a meer that smokes SOTE Flake like heaven, and a Harris pipe that opened my eyes to Embarcadero.

It's all such a crapshoot, ain't it? It's much better when the happy accident yields such great results, though. All the neurotic record-keeping about pipes and what goes in them, hell even temperature, weather, etc., only helps consistent 7's, 8's and maybe rare 9's, but a "10" logarithmically is damn hard to find.

The only time I will dedicate a pipe is when that "10" happens, sometimes it takes a while. Sometimes a pipe will only go so far, tobacco, too...but when it's right...hooooo boy, is it good.

8)