|
|
Pipes and cigars can feel like different worlds at times. Pipe smoking offers a contemplative, ritualistic experience punctuated by the process of drying and preparing tobacco, packing the pipe, and getting into a steady rhythm. Cigars on the other hand are a little more straightforward with most simply requiring a cut and light. The master blenders, along with their love for the art of blending, is what unites the two mediums, resulting in truly unique smoking experiences.
Stepping outside of your preferred smoking comfort zone can really help you appreciate the familiar smokes you know and love; however it can be daunting to step into the other side of the hobby with so many pipe tobaccos and cigars on the market. For the pipe smoker, there are some cigars that incorporate pipe tobacco in their blends to help bridge the gap, like Dunbarton & Trust's StillWell Star cigars, which combine the cigar-blending prowess of founder Steve Saka with the pipe-tobacco craftsmanship of Cornell & Diehl to create flavors and aromas that both cigar and pipe smokers will find familiar and appealing.
For the cigar smokers, there are myriad pipe-tobacco blends that use cigar leaf as well, such as Key Largo or Mad Fiddler Flake. What's truly special about these combinations — whether it's a pipe tobacco that uses cigar leaf, or a cigar that incorporates pipe tobacco — is that each smoke still showcases other core components that can help you discover which other smokes you'd enjoy. Did you love Mad Fiddler Flake? Maybe try a Virginia or Va/Per. Enjoy StillWell Star Bayou No. 32? You might enjoy Dapper's Smokingpipes-exclusive La Madrina Lonsdale.
The point of such an experiment isn't to convert you from one to the other, but rather to provide a new perspective. You could very well hate what you just smoked, but you could also love it, or simply just enjoy it. Experimentation can help you appreciate that bowl of Escudo a little more or make you long for a Wasabi. Even if you hate what you smoked, through the experience, you might find a deeper appreciation of the craftsmanship of a pipe or the engineering of a lighter.
Life is best enjoyed when you expand horizons, when you welcome change and accept new perspectives. Not everything we do is a home run, but if we never try then we'll never score in the first place.
You may also enjoy:
Comments