Remember to take slow, gentle and steady puffs - sip at the pipe rather than gulp at it. Do not inhale the smoke; draw it in, savor the tobacco’s flavor and then gently blow it out of your mouth.

If you puff too hard, you will burn the tobacco hotter and faster, which can ruin the tobacco’s taste. Puffing too hard on the pipe may also cause condensation to occur inside the tobacco chamber, which will make the tobacco taste even worse and make it harder to keep your tobacco lit.

If you have properly packed and lit your smoking pipe, your smoke should be cool and smooth. If you get “tongue bite,” that dreaded burning sensation on your tongue, you have not packed the tobacco firmly enough.

If your smoking pipe keeps going out, you most likely have loaded it too tightly. Do not worry if you have to light your smoking pipe several times throughout the smoking process. Even the most seasoned pipe smokers often light their tobacco pipes several times while enjoying a bowl of their favorite blends.

As the tobacco burns, gently knock the ash out of your smoking pipe and gently tamp (use a pipe tamper) on the remaining layers of tobacco while drawing air through the tobacco pipe. If you hear a gurgling sound emanating from the bowl while you puff, excess moisture is condensing in the bowl and stem. Run a pipe cleaner through the mouthpiece all the way down to the bowl. One or two pipe cleaners should soak up the excess moisture, allowing you to continue to enjoy your smoking pipe.

The tobaccos you choose will have different smoking properties. Aromatic blends are usually moister and burn hotter, so take extra care to smoke slowly. Remember, practice makes perfect!