Do I have a tolerance?
Posted by Yehuda Manne on Tuesday, 04-Sep-2007
I don't think this is a storage issue. I store my pound bags wrapped tightly inside a thermidor, and my tubs go to Mason jars. Everything holds its moisture until I'm ready to dry a couple days supply. But...things that tasted strong a few months ago have no bite anymore. I have to smoke Cockstrong as my regular smoke to have a feeling of body to the smoke. Or a mix of CS and GR Rimboche. Tobaccos I loved in the past, like Balkan Ramback, don't have strength anymore. I smoke FF tubes, btw. Am I developing a tolerance? I smoke about 20 sticks per day, rolled on a Supermatic. Has this happened to anyone else? I've previously blamed this experience on poor storage, but now that I've hopefully corrected that, I wonder why my palate has changed so drastically.
Thanks
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- Re: Do I have a tolerance?
- Posted by Jo on Sunday, 23-Sep-2007
You mentioned that you had your tobacco stored and it held its moisture. I don't know anything about curing, but wine 'cures' in a sealed bottle, so it stands to reason that tobacco can still change or 'cure' even in sealed jars.
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I stored my too strong tobacco in the bags they came in, except for the opened ones, those I put sack and all into a gallon freezer ziplock baggie. They seem milder and smoother with age and I think part of the reason they do is they have lost some of their moisture.
Tobacco seems steamy to me, if it has a lot of moisture.
- Re: Do I have a tolerance?
- Posted by Jo on Saturday, 22-Sep-2007
Tobacco does change while stored. I have a lot of tobacco that I ordered, then found them to be too harsh or too strong. I put them up in case of an emergency or if friends come by that like a stronger tobacco.
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Last week, I thought I had more tobacco than I did and I ran out. I ordered more, then I got out some of the strong tobacco that I had stored. I dreaded the few days I would have to smoke that, but there isn't any tobacco I like at the stores around here.
Surprisingly, it has been a good experience. Some had became smoother and milder, especially the periques.
So, if my experience indicates anything, your tobacco may have grown milder and it isn't your taste at all.
Tobacco tastes best the less you smoke. I keep my cigarettes in another room, so I have to go after each cigarette. That stops mindless smoking and lighting up without thinking or really wanting one. It is like food, when you are dieting, it tastes twice as good.
No cigarettes have ever tasted as good as they did before they started the cancer rant. They must have changed something back then, but I don't know what. Then, cigarettes were no big deal and seemed to be more satisfying. I suppose our taste buds can change just like our eyesight changes, though.
- Re: Do I have a tolerance?
- Posted by Rolland on Saturday, 08-Sep-2007
I've had a similar experience. For example, I tried Jester for the first time, a few days ago. Jester is a rich tasting tobacco. I smoke a stick of it and think, this is fantastic. But if I continue to smoke Jester throughout the day it seems a little less flavorful with each stick. It begins to taste not so fantastic, but just normal.
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I avoid this by alternating my richer tobaccos with blander tasting tobaccos. I might start off with a stick of Jester and follow it up later on with some American Thrust additive free injected in a FF tube. Now, in my opinion, the American Thrust is not a bad tasting tobacco, it's just bland by comparison with Jester or other richer tasting tobacco. By contrasting the richer tobaccos with the lighter tobaccos, I can appreciate the lighter taste, and by doing so, I reset my taste buds so that the next time I smoke a stick of Jester it still has that rich taste.
So, what I'm suggesting is, use your lighter tasting tobaccos as your regular smoke and make your CS and periques more of a special once or twice a day treat. It's something like enjoying an expensive imported beer. The first one is great. But if you continue drinking your imported beer you no longer notice it's unique flavor. You might as well be drinking Old Milwaukee.
- Re: Do I have a tolerance?
- Posted by G on Tuesday, 04-Sep-2007
Just a guess obviously, but its summer- lots of humidity... Beyond a point, too much moisture decreases burning quality and taste.
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Also, in general I have found the more you smoke the less you taste.
- Re: Do I have a tolerance?
- Posted by Wazmo Nariz on Tuesday, 04-Sep-2007
I think that your palate is learning to differentiate more between tobaccos and has become slightly more discriminating; and that your tastes are simply evolving. What I once thought was fantastic when I first started RYO/MYO I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot injector spoon now...and some tobaccos I thought "unnerving" initially are now some of my favourite treat smokes. Ya live and ya grow, I think....
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