A moment of meditation With this being a cigar and tobacco related blog, it’s not very often that I talk about my other interests (Other than shoehorning in the odd Pro Wrestling or Simpsons reference where I can…) However, one thing I’ve been getting into recently is yoga and last Thursday was International Yoga day, so I’m going to take the chance to talk about that a bit! Personally, I do “DDP Yoga” which is a bit more focused on the physical side of yoga, rather than the “Spiritual” side of it. I’m not really into the whole concept of spiritual yoga and “chakras” or that side of it (No offense to anyone who is, it’s just not my cup of tea!) Even so, after a year or so of doing it, I’ve started to really appreciate the sense of focus, serenity and contemplation that comes along with it. Yoga and smoking might not seem like things that go hand in hand, but when you delve into it, you can see that for many people, the act of smoking is its own form of meditative contemplation. In fact, Einstein once said:
“I believe that pipe smoking contributes to a somewhat calm and objective judgement in all human affairs.”
So, with that in mind, here are a few of my top choices for a moment of peace: A quiet contemplative smoke.
Plug Tobacco
There’s nothing in the world quite like preparing a plug of tobacco for smoking. From the pungent aromas hitting you as you open the tin, to firmly slicing it into
your personal choice of cut, to gently teasing it into a smokeable mixture with your fingers, every stage of smoking this tobacco requires you to take a peaceful moment. My favourites are:
Peterson – 3ps (Peterson’s Perfect Plug) – A dark, strong plug with hints of spice and fruit
Murray’s Warrior Plug – Pure Virginia plug with a full bodied, sweet and treacly taste.
With thick slices and minimal rubbing, any plug becomes a mix that can be slowly “sipped” while your mind gently wanders. Perfect.
I
know that I’ve written about this before, but it definitely deserves a mention here. I know that these days, blend descriptions on tins of tobacco are fading away to be replaced by health warnings, but the official description for Nightcap used to be along the lines of “A blend perfectly suited for the evening and its period of quiet contemplation.” I could just leave it there really, couldn’t I?! To elaborate: The blend is a rich and full bodied mix of all the classic English ingredients: Latakia, Turkish, Perique, all combined with classic Virginia. The result is a blend that forces the smoker to slow down for a moment, to simply take it easy for a short while and relax.
It’s more the size of cigar here, rather than actual blend. So, a Montecristo Especial would be just as fitting (Even if it is technically a different vitola.) This long, slim, elegant cigar format allows the full flavour of the blend to be gradually revealed over the course of the hour or so required to smoke one. If you’re used to smoking the more popular, short and stocky, robusto-esque formats of cigar, you’ll be surprised at just how differently these smoke. Relaxing quietly somewhere with one of these and noticing the way the flavour delicately changes with each puff is a truly serene experience.
I’m finishing with the heaviest hitter of the bunch. I’ve said a lot about the awesomeness of Behikes in the past, so I won’t ramble on about them too much. But the unique complexity of them is perfect for a meditative smoke. Each puff reveals a new layer of flavour, with new notes appearing and then blending seamlessly into the taste. A smoke to really think about as you smoke it! We’ve managed to get our hands on a few boxes lately, but they’re insanely hard to find at the moment, so they could’ve already gone by the time this blog goes live!
That’s all for me this week. I hope you’ll join me in a relaxing, contemplative smoke, in the honour of Yoga Day 😉.
Until next time: Put that in your pipe and smoke it!
Calum
