Pipe smoking is a very personal thing. It takes time for a person to decide which type of pipe and what type of tobacco suits their taste and provides what they want from the pipe smoking experience. Still, beginners can benefit from a leg up on the characteristics of different tobacco pipes, which tobacco pipe accessories are important to have, and which pipe tobaccos provide the smoothest entry into the world of pipe smoking. In this article the team at Paykoc Pipes profile four pipe tobaccos they believe are best for beginners.

First Things First: Tobacco Cuts

If you are going to understand pipe tobacco the place to start is with tobacco cuts. How the tobacco is cut will play a role in how agreeable it is to the beginner when they smoke it. That said, all cuts are conducive to a good smoking experience. It’s just that different cuts produce slightly different experiences. Therefore, you will probably need to try a few different cuts of pipe tobacco before you find the one that suits you best.

• Ribbon cut: While this is the most common type of cut for pipe tobacco there is no such thing as an industry standard ribbon cut. Each manufacturer typically has their own ribbon cut. As the name implies the ribbon cut produces long strands of tobacco. These can be packed into the bowl as is.
• Flake cut: To achieve the flake cut tobacco is pressed together into thin layers while heat is applied. After being heated and pressed these layers are cut into rectangular shapes that resembles jerky. In most cases, different types of tobacco are pressed together in this way which causes the flavors to mix together to create unique taste sensations.
• Cake cut: Cakes are produced by taking ribbon cut tobacco and compressing it while applying steam. The result is large bricks of tobacco that are then cut down into brownie-sized "cakes". To smoke this type of tobacco users pull a piece off of the cake and crumble it before loading it into their tobacco pipes.

Our Favorite Types of Pipe Tobacco for Beginners

One of the many great things about pipe smoking is the sheer variety of pipe tobaccos that are available today. Whereas in most cases one cigarette tastes pretty much like another, and cigars taste pretty much the same to everyone except a connoisseur, pipe tobaccos produce a variety of taste sensations that can be easily discerned even by a total novice.

The following are the 4 best types of pipe tobacco for beginners according to our crew.

Latakia

Latakia is an oriental tobacco that is cured over aromatic wood fires. Know Latakia by its smoky aroma and its dark color. The taste is slightly sweet which appeals to beginning pipe smokers. Many, however, grow out of Latakia over time and move on to more sophisticated blends that provide a more targeted tickling of the taste buds. Latakia also burns rather slowly, which is another characteristic that makes it a good choice for beginners.

There are two varieties of Latakia; Syrian and Cyprian although in truth it is very difficult to find genuine Syrian Latakia these days. On a side note, you will often find Latakia in English tobacco blends.

Burley

If we had to pick one tobacco to recommend to a beginner we’d have a hard time not picking Burley. Burley is a light, air-cured tobacco with an agreeable consistency and a color that alternates between reddish brown and light brown. Burley is known for its good combustibility and its mild aroma when smoked on its own.

Because of its unassuming nature, Burley tobacco is a very common component of many tobacco blends as it does not overpower other tobaccos. It can also be effectively treated by heating, pressure, toasting and other processes to produce a variety of unique and surprising taste sensations.

Oriental

Oriental is a kind of sun-cured tobacco that is grown in numerous countries that have the requisite semi-arid climate. These countries include Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Lebanon. There are different types of Oriental tobacco but most share a few common characteristics.

For example: they tend to have smaller leaves than many other types of tobacco. Those leaves are most often a golden yellow in color, although some may be a darker yellow-green and a few orientals even tend toward being brownish in color. Orientals are further characterized by excellent combustibility, have a delicate aroma with herbaceous hints and a taste that is easy on the palate, making them another outstanding choice for beginners.

Perique

Perique is a kind of Burley air-cured tobacco that undergoes a time-consuming double fermentation process during which it is pressure-squeezed in its own juice. During this process, known as “maceration”, the tobacco leaves are kept in barrels previously used to age Bourbon whiskey.

Because of all the time and effort that goes into creating Periques, they tend to be some of the most expensive pipe tobaccos. For that reason, beginners might want to take a pass. But if Perique is in your financial wheelhouse and you are someone who is drawn to more robust flavors and aromas you may find a lot to like in Perique pipe tobacco.

Tobacco Pipes for Every Taste

Paykoc Pipes has one of the widest selections of wholesale tobacco pipes and tobacco pipe accessories you’ll find anywhere. If you’re just starting out with tobacco pipes check out our online shop.