I suppose it was only a matter of time before someone convinced me to put down my cigar long enough to give pipe tobacco an honest shot. Well, that time came recently during Monday night football. I must say I had been intrigued by the different process that pipe tobacco goes through, such that when smoked, the room is filled with such an appealing aroma–often so much so that even no-smokers are delighted at the mere sight of a pipe.
As with most things, pipe smoking isn’t something that you can get into lightly. There happens to be quite a learning curve in terms of pipe shapes and materials, tobacco types and origins, as well as preparation and smoking technique to insure a good experience.
Having versed myself on the basics, I finally lit up a beautiful rusticated pipe gifted by a well meaning friend and I was off to the races before finding myself engulfed in one of the most pleasant and relaxing smoking experiences. Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love my cigars, but I quickly found that there is a certain indescribable mellow character to pipe smoking that quite simply cannot be dismissed, and neither should it be.
And so, the bottom line is that I found my first pipe to be a delightful experience; so much so that a few days and a few dollars later I can report that my cigar bar has unexpectedly expanded to include a growing collection of pipes and tobacco. What’s more, I think I sense a series of articles forthcoming! Who knew?