Pining for the Old Days

It has been ages since I have engaged with the online pipe smoking community. It is easy to look back with fondness on the time I spent watching videos, reading blogs, and connecting with other pipe smokers on social media. It was what inspired me to start this blog. Pipe smoking really is an odd combination of social and private. No one else is needed to enjoy a pipe, yet it is fun with others. 

The days I remember were great. Those in the community were never monetized, and no one seemed interested in fame or fortune. It was just a group of people who enjoyed the hobby and were looking for others with whom to share it. Some vestiges remain, but few people continue to post. I am sure it still exists...on some new app or website. Truth be told the place that it occupied in my life is largely filled. Family, work, and advancing age have all cut my smoking time and social needs down significantly. 

I have also learned that the promise of social media and the connections it offered are of a distinctly different nature than we may once have expected. Once projected to be the Neuromancer, Ready Player One, playground for making meaningful connections, it proved to be less personal than it once was. All of this is because money got involved. A lot of money. 

Various social media sites were a unique opportunity to meet new people, keep up with friends, gather into groups based upon our interests and dreams. Now it seems focused upon gaining an audience. No one had even heard of an influencer, much less think of it as a legitimate career. The world has changed. I would not say that it got better or worse, just different. 

Websites were better. Before every site was built to make money there were sites that were just silly. Fewer sites had logins, cookies, and advertisement. People were just excited to put something out into cyberspace and be thrilled that anyone else would be able to see it. Now, I haven't surfed the internet for weird and wonderful for years. It is behind a paywall, it is all strictly professional. Social media took over the part of the internet that had me visiting blogs on the weekly. Podcasts went from being a basement affair to big business. Videos started including a striking amount of advertisers. People started asking for viewers to comment, like, and subscribe...and give them money on Patreon. Of course the most amazing thing to me is that people actually do it.  I have never once been compelled to give someone money just to watch them make videos from their basement. 

Then the "I'm quitting!" videos started to show up. How very odd. What we used to do for fun became too taxing. Content creation was no longer recreation...it became business. Did people stop doing things for fun or did those who were in it for the money crowd them out? It isn't just on the internet, it is a phenomenon in the western world. Everything is about money, and few are motivated by simple joyous desire to make connections and talk about the things that enrich our lives. 

I wonder if the thing I remember is still out there. I can't say that I would want to go back to making a few videos or blog posts a week as it took time. As my children grow up I have a bit more independence. I could make a video or throw a thought out into the world now and again. I never thought I would be a dinosaur so soon. Looking back at those simple frivolous moments thinking, talking, and writing about pipes and tobacco I do have fond memories. 

Just to keep on theme, I have been enjoying my cobbit pipe by Missouri Meerchaum. And I have been smoking Brian Fox, Captain Black Royal, and a local pipe shop bulk tobacco called Collins Comfort. The brotherhood of the briar still calls to me in my memories. And I rarely enjoy a pipe without also thinking about my old online friends. 

A Moderate Success!

The concept of "spin" seems to have caused most things to be described in the superlative.  Everything in life seems to have become some kind of perverse sales affair.  Not only is this true on the large commercial scale; but social media seems to have brought that concept down to the point of making it some sort of individual responsibility.  It seems we are compelled by forces beyond our control to try and make all of our efforts and adventures out to be extraordinary.  The trouble with this is quite apparent.

You may ask why I am ranting.  Why it is something trivial, of course!  I just finished my experiment mentioned in a previous post.  This is an experiment I have been working on for a bit over two months.  This experiment involves dedicating a new cob to a new tin of tobacco through the whole tin.  I have done this before and never been disappointed with the results.  Those cobs then go on to be graced by other blends and move through  their life as a happy cob in my collection until they pass their ultimate usefulness.  

So this experiment was absolutely, totally, remarkably and amazingly: fine.  I must admit I will likely not be buying another tin of Durbar.  It claims to be for the "experienced pipe smoker", though it fails to tell us what experiences are required. I found this blend to be on my medium low end of preference.  It was by no means painful to get through the tin, nor was it one I gave up on (as I did with Early Morning Pipe and Sweet Killarney).  But it just didn't make it quite to the place of expectation that I have set with My Mixture 965, London Mixture, and Nightcap.  Those blends never fail to blow me away.  

In contrast to the greats I would say that Durbar is a good blend.  I found that the orientals didn't speak too much, but it had that nice middle or the road experience.  It also took quite some time to really get comfortable with it.  For some reason I often had a mild tongue-bite that started right around the middle of the bowl.  

So try for your self, dear reader.  I don't think you could be too disappointed.  Durbar is a nice blend of quality tobacco and perhaps you will be the pipe expert experienced enough to draw all of the greatness out of Durbar Mixture. 

Giving it Away

Have you done your pipe duty?  I find that I am something of an evangelistic pipe smoker.  I don't mean to be, I just have a tendency to want to spread understanding for the great benefits and pleasures of pipe smoking.  It comes rather naturally.  In a recent discussion with a friend I determined that he needed to enjoy the "thinking tool" of a pipe.  Upon finding out that he was open to the idea I made the "starter kit".  This kit included a country gentleman Missouri Meerschaum (a dear favorite of mine), and two very user-friendly starter tobaccos (Black Watch from Edwards and Black and Gold from Altadis).  I directed him to a couple of "how to" videos on youtube.  I feel as if I failed in the one major aspect of sharing that first smoke with him, nevertheless sometimes we do only what we can.

I find people are interested in pipes, and in pipe smoking.  How do you answer their questions?  What would you put in your "starter kit" for a new smoker?  Greater men than I have taken the time to eschew the virtues of pipe smoking, but I earnestly believe the world would be a slightly better place if more people enjoyed a quiet evening, in a thoughtful spot, with a bowl full of good tobacco.

A New Pipe and Three Oaks

I love the cob. Perhaps it is the dog days of august, the heritage of being an American pipe smoker with what I view to be the most thoroughly American incarnation of pipe smoking. Mark Twain, General MacArthur and so many others have seemed to enjoy this wonderful vehicle for tobacco, and so do I. So on my trip down to Denver I bought a "Country Gentleman." Unfortunately the bark was not included, but I would have loved to have a bark pipe stand! I like the straight stem and I am certainly working my way up to either a "freehand" cob or a MacArthur cob. However, I can hardly find time to finish a bowl in my general cob so that may have to wait. Either way, great smoker, no surprises.
On top of the fact that I love the cob, I also love McClelland tobaccos. Frog Morton being previously reviewed and much loved, this is another Latakia blend by MacClelland. Note: I got the yellow one (syrian latakia) not the white one. Tin description:

Rare Syrian Latakia, with its renowned mellow smokiness, is balanced with naturally sweet Orientals and aged Virginia leaf to create a satisfying blend reminiscent of classic Syrian Latakia blends of old. Formulated by Tad Gage to reflect the character of original Three Oaks Pipe Tobacco, it tantalizes with intriguing differences.

So, you can pick up that this is a "copy blend". It seems like there is some satisfaction in saying things like "I hate copy blends" or "I normally don't like copy blends." However, none of those things would be true. I have never tried the blends they are trying to copy, so I have no gauge for that. Furthermore, I think it is funny that people have a problem with blends that seek to replicate a previous blend. Musical concerts are filled with pieces that have been done well before and we seek to do them well again. I don't mind in the slightest when a brewery attempt to recreate a recipe that they have loved. It seems quite natural to attempt to attain something similar to a great blend of days past. In fact it seems to me to be a rather noble goal. Just like making seeking to make a new blend is a noble goal.

That aside, this tobacco is a great smoke. Delicious. It is my impression that McClelland has a distinct edge when it comes to Virginia tobaccos and virginia blends. I still have never been bothered by the "ketchup" smell, but it does have that nice "McClelland Aroma." In comparing it to Frog Morton it has all of the same advantages of the great virginia tobaccos, and more latakia taste. Where I would give Frog Morton to a first time tobacco smoker and recommend it to anyone who was interested in testing out some English blends, Three Oaks seems a bit more specialized, less accessible. It is nice and full, sweet and spicy. Not too strong, and worth smoking. I don't know if I will buy more when it's gone, but I haven't regretted it for a shadow of a moment.