Pipe Smokers!

[JGeropoulas]

Mac Baren Original Choice is a great no additive pipe tobacco blend -- blend of Virginia tobacco from North Carolina, Burley from Tennessee, and Mac Baren Cavendish. Excellent aroma and taste. I buy 40 gram pouches. It's the best pipe tobacco I've tried so far.

I found this online, but there's no mention of it being "additive free" or "organic" so I'm curious how you determined that this tobacco is "safe" to smoke. I hope it is because Kentucky Select is unavailable until the next season apparently.

It's not organic (as far as I know). It's supposed to be pure tobacco with no additives / flavorings / added aroma, etc. This is what the tobacco shop I buy from has told me. So as far as I know, as I've said in the Smoking is Good? thread, it's probably grown using pesticides and chemical fertilizers. So if you are sensitive or just want to avoid these, probably best to look for an organic and additive-free brand. I also smoke cigarettes that are not organic and have no problem / reaction. So it's an individual thing.

Thanks, I think I'm just going to growing my own. My parents attic is 6' high and will make a perfect "tobacco barn."

My father grew up "suckering" tobacco and "tying up tobacco" because my grandfather was a tobacco farmer. He smoked his own tobacco in a pipe for 82 years and was healthy as a horse. Of course, they grew all their own food, made their own butter, raised their own hogs, and lived a wonderful rural small-farm life. (His death was caused by a head injury due to slipping in the shower

 

[Mr. Premise]

Mac Baren Original Choice is a great no additive pipe tobacco blend -- blend of Virginia tobacco from North Carolina, Burley from Tennessee, and Mac Baren Cavendish. Excellent aroma and taste. I buy 40 gram pouches. It's the best pipe tobacco I've tried so far.

I found this online, but there's no mention of it being "additive free" or "organic" so I'm curious how you determined that this tobacco is "safe" to smoke. I hope it is because Kentucky Select is unavailable until the next season apparently.

At rollyourown.com they still have 5 pound bags of KentuckySelect Organic available. Looks like they are only out of the smaller sizes.

 

[Mr. Premise]

At rollyourown.com they still have 5 pound bags of KentuckySelect Organic available. Looks like they are only out of the smaller sizes.

Just double checked and they also have 6 oz KS organic

 

[anart]

Mac Baren Original Choice is a great no additive pipe tobacco blend -- blend of Virginia tobacco from North Carolina, Burley from Tennessee, and Mac Baren Cavendish. Excellent aroma and taste. I buy 40 gram pouches. It's the best pipe tobacco I've tried so far.

I found this online, but there's no mention of it being "additive free" or "organic" so I'm curious how you determined that this tobacco is "safe" to smoke. I hope it is because Kentucky Select is unavailable until the next season apparently.

At rollyourown.com they still have 5 pound bags of KentuckySelect Organic available. Looks like they are only out of the smaller sizes.

Just a note on the Kentucky Select that might or might not be relevant: I ordered some and since I smoke my pipe so infrequently, I had the bag for at least six months, though I kept it moisturized with periodic additions of one of those little humidifier disc things. Well, one day, I went to go get some tobacco for my pipe, and the bag was filled with little black bugs - just filled with it, crawling all over the tobacco. So, I'm pretty sure that means that there were little black bug eggs on that tobacco that hatched and were living off the tobacco and small amount of water I'd introduce.

Of course, most of you will smoke the tobacco long before the bugs hatch - but - apparently there are eggs on that tobacco - or there were on that batch. The bag was sealed unless I opened it for tobacco and I've never seen that type of bug before. Just thought I'd mention it. :/

Added: I just looked up 'tobacco beetle' and that's exactly what they were...

 

[dant]

Well Anart,
They say that bugs are a good source of protein (additive)! :/ (eww!)

 

[anart]

Well Anart,
They say that bugs are a good source of protein (additive)! :/ (eww!)

...and at least you know it's organic!

 

[Mr. Premise]

Eew that's gross, Anart. I just finished my first 5 lb bag of KS and never had a 2d creature appearance. I guess that's a risk with organic, though.

 

[SeekinTruth]

Mac Baren Original Choice is a great no additive pipe tobacco blend -- blend of Virginia tobacco from North Carolina, Burley from Tennessee, and Mac Baren Cavendish. Excellent aroma and taste. I buy 40 gram pouches. It's the best pipe tobacco I've tried so far.

I found this online, but there's no mention of it being "additive free" or "organic" so I'm curious how you determined that this tobacco is "safe" to smoke. I hope it is because Kentucky Select is unavailable until the next season apparently.

It's not organic (as far as I know). It's supposed to be pure tobacco with no additives / flavorings / added aroma, etc. This is what the tobacco shop I buy from has told me. So as far as I know, as I've said in the Smoking is Good? thread, it's probably grown using pesticides and chemical fertilizers. So if you are sensitive or just want to avoid these, probably best to look for an organic and additive-free brand. I also smoke cigarettes that are not organic and have no problem / reaction. So it's an individual thing.

Thanks, I think I'm just going to growing my own. My parents attic is 6' high and will make a perfect "tobacco barn."

My father grew up "suckering" tobacco and "tying up tobacco" because my grandfather was a tobacco farmer. He smoked his own tobacco in a pipe for 82 years and was healthy as a horse. Of course, they grew all their own food, made their own butter, raised their own hogs, and lived a wonderful rural small-farm life. (His death was caused by a head injury due to slipping in the shower

Let us know how growing your own turns out. :) My great grandfather was a master tobacco cutter (by hand, of course) and changed the family name to reflect one of his occupations (the Turkish word for a tobacconist with an Armenian ending).

Mac Baren Original Choice is a great no additive pipe tobacco blend -- blend of Virginia tobacco from North Carolina, Burley from Tennessee, and Mac Baren Cavendish. Excellent aroma and taste. I buy 40 gram pouches. It's the best pipe tobacco I've tried so far.

I found this online, but there's no mention of it being "additive free" or "organic" so I'm curious how you determined that this tobacco is "safe" to smoke. I hope it is because Kentucky Select is unavailable until the next season apparently.

At rollyourown.com they still have 5 pound bags of KentuckySelect Organic available. Looks like they are only out of the smaller sizes.

Just a note on the Kentucky Select that might or might not be relevant: I ordered some and since I smoke my pipe so infrequently, I had the bag for at least six months, though I kept it moisturized with periodic additions of one of those little humidifier disc things. Well, one day, I went to go get some tobacco for my pipe, and the bag was filled with little black bugs - just filled with it, crawling all over the tobacco. So, I'm pretty sure that means that there were little black bug eggs on that tobacco that hatched and were living off the tobacco and small amount of water I'd introduce.

Of course, most of you will smoke the tobacco long before the bugs hatch - but - apparently there are eggs on that tobacco - or there were on that batch. The bag was sealed unless I opened it for tobacco and I've never seen that type of bug before. Just thought I'd mention it. :/

Added: I just looked up 'tobacco beetle' and that's exactly what they were...

Well, like you said, at least you know it's organic: NO pesticides!

 

[3DStudent]

Sounds like tobacco beetles. Some people freeze their cigars for a few days when they get them. Apparently the eggs don't survive freezing.

 

[Arwenn]

Sorry for ask this here but may I make cigarettes with pipe tobacco?, the thing is that I don't like much tobacco smell I prefer cigarette smell and I what to roll my owns, the problem is that I don't find cigarette tobacco without additives but could find it for pipe. Anybody has tried this? I'm new and I am doing some test if smoking is benefical for me or not.

Anybody has tried water pipe??

Some of my happiest memories are of my Dad smoking a pipe on the front porch. ;)

If you live in the US Galaxia, its tough to find a decent hooka. (water pipe) People are very ignorant about them, and it could get you in unintended trouble, depending on where you live. I've heard from people who do have them that its the smoothest and nicest tasting way of smoking, but I've never tried one myself.

The few times a year I do smoke we use whatever we have...sometimes its 'flavored', sometimes not. I don't like cigarette tobacco for pipe smoking, and don't know how it would work in reverse.

Hi guys,

I tried smoking when I was a teen (mainly menthol ciggies & boy did I think I looked cool!). I didn't keep it up- I didn't like how congested my lungs felt. A few years ago, I was on a tour in the Middle East and tried a Hooka (called Shisha in Egypt). I must admit, I really love the smell (I tried vanilla and apple) & the water does make it smoother to inhale. Has anyone done any research on this type of smoking? I know the tobacco is flavored & no doubt there are additives etc... But I have not been able to find out much more than that.

I am not by nature driven to smoke (I probs don't have the genetic profile for it, as the Cs say), but I could certainly smoke the peace pipe after a nice meal every night! I went to the local tobacconist today, but they don't have Hooka stuff, and I have found an online source for Hooka smoking the necessary accouterments at this site: http://www.barandhookah.com.au/

I can't see myself smoking ryo. I may try a pipe but I somehow feel that'll be too harsh. Something about the Hooka really resonated with me. If anyone has come across any info, please let me know.

Arwenn x

 

[pete02]

I had tried a hookah some time ago myself but gave it up because the tobacco is cured with molasses and food coloring. Not only that but when you smoke it from a hookah it doesn't really burn the tobacco, just steams it which to me means that your really just smoking the sugar. Probably why its so smooth to smoke. I ended up with a pipe and rolling tobacco. I blend in a little pipe tobacco for flavor and smoothness but that's about it.

 

[Arwenn]

I had tried a hookah some time ago myself but gave it up because the tobacco is cured with molasses and food coloring. Not only that but when you smoke it from a hookah it doesn't really burn the tobacco, just steams it which to me means that your really just smoking the sugar. Probably why its so smooth to smoke. I ended up with a pipe and rolling tobacco. I blend in a little pipe tobacco for flavor and smoothness but that's about it.

Thanks for the info, Pete. You've probably mentioned this elsewhere, but what type of pipe tobacco, rolling tobacco & style of pipe do you use?

 

[pete02]

I had tried a hookah some time ago myself but gave it up because the tobacco is cured with molasses and food coloring. Not only that but when you smoke it from a hookah it doesn't really burn the tobacco, just steams it which to me means that your really just smoking the sugar. Probably why its so smooth to smoke. I ended up with a pipe and rolling tobacco. I blend in a little pipe tobacco for flavor and smoothness but that's about it.

Thanks for the info, Pete. You've probably mentioned this elsewhere, but what type of pipe tobacco, rolling tobacco & style of pipe do you use?

I order online from a place called custom blends (actually now called planetryo.com). They have various different tobaccos that they blend together for different smoking experiences. My tastes usually vary per order (Virginian, Turkish, Brazilian...). They also sell an assortment of flavored pipe tobaccos (I usually do a vanilla flavor). What I do is buy bulk ryo tobacco and a small pouch of pipe flavored tobacco and mix the two for a smoother taste. It ends up being a bit more pricey and this particular website doesn't ship outside their resident state (Pennsylvania) but the website might link you to a different location closer to you that can ship in your state, I'm not sure.

What I did for a pipe was went to my local tobacco shop and just bought a cheap $20. 'L' shaped pipe to start just to make sure I liked it before investing too much money. Now I own three. ;)

 

[Arwenn]

I order online from a place called custom blends (actually now called planetryo.com). They have various different tobaccos that they blend together for different smoking experiences. My tastes usually vary per order (Virginian, Turkish, Brazilian...). They also sell an assortment of flavored pipe tobaccos (I usually do a vanilla flavor). What I do is buy bulk ryo tobacco and a small pouch of pipe flavored tobacco and mix the two for a smoother taste. It ends up being a bit more pricey and this particular website doesn't ship outside their resident state (Pennsylvania) but the website might link you to a different location closer to you that can ship in your state, I'm not sure.

What I did for a pipe was went to my local tobacco shop and just bought a cheap $20. 'L' shaped pipe to start just to make sure I liked it before investing too much money. Now I own three. ;)

Thanks for the info! I'll have to explore my options online, as I'm in Australia, & shipping from the US can be quite high. Oh, I did manage to find some brands of plain hookah tobacco, (it's probably still got molasses, but I intend to investigate this). And I found this study on Medscape, which states "Hookah or water-pipe smoking, also known as narghile, shisha, or goza, has been used in the Middle East and Asia for more than 400 years (Rosenow, 2006). The hookah apparatus consists of a base that is filled with water, a bowl, a heating device that contains the tobacco and other products, a pipe... When the smoker inhales through the hose, the smoke from the tobacco passes through the water into a chamber and then is inhaled (Rosenow). According to the World Health Organization, a 1-hour session of hookah smoking exposes the individual to high levels of toxic compounds.....as well as significant levels of nicotine (Rosenow). One 30- to 60-minute session is equivalent to smoking an entire pack of cigarettes at one sitting (Loffredo, 2006). A common misperception is that hookah smoking is less dangerous than cigarette smoking, when, in fact, the use of the hookah may result in a higher concentration of absorbed nicotine (Knishkowy & Amitai, 2005)."


Now, the other query I have is, what about tar? Is that an issue with smoking, & is this dependent on the way in which the tobacco is smoked?

 

[aaronfransen]

I just wanted to put my two bits in here.

I've been smoking (again) for just over a year, but just a pipe this time. I've avoided cigarettes thus far.

I've probably tried about twenty different tobaccos of different varieties, some big name, some small boutique brands, and I can say that without a doubt my favourite is Mac Baren Original Choice. (There's a "Mr. B's Mark Twain" blend that has a similar aroma, but it's a terribly mild smoke with a nasty soap aftertaste!)

It's smoothly aromatic, cool on the tongue, with just enough "kick" to let you know you're smoking tobacco (for those pipe smokers who inhale...I certainly do!).

Mac Baren smokers have had a rough road in Canada...their distributor here dropped them (or was it the other way around?) so getting it has been tough; I've been ordering it from the US now, but when I run out I'm reduced to smoking Amphora or Sail, which are not anywhere near as nice.

I just went two weeks without (thank you, Canada Customs), and when the tins of OC arrived, it was like seeing an old friend, and the aroma upon opening the tin was heavenly.