Sounds like it has potential!
A Tobacco Blending Odyssey.
- Thread starter Price
- Start date
Sweet! Did you stove the VA yourself?
- Thread starter
- #203
No, I used Dark Star, which is remarkably sweet. I got a sample from Andrew, which gave me the idea, so I ordered some with the intention of using it in this blend. The other half is going to sit in a jar for a few years.
Nice. Are you referring to the new stuff as being remarkable sweet, your sample, or both? I have a couple tins of it, but still haven't tried it yet.
Your current blend sounds like a killer combination.
- Thread starter
- #205
Nice. Are you referring to the new stuff as being remarkable sweet, your sample, or both? I have a couple tins of it, but still haven't tried it yet.
Your current blend sounds like a killer combination.
The blend has a reputation for being sweet, and the bowl I smoked from the sample certainly confirmed this. I haven't smoked any of the new stuff.
I've got high hopes for this concoction.
- Thread starter
- #206
Okay, out of the press and into the jar. One for now and the rest for later...
I did notice that this batch seemed a little stickier than previous batches, even though the binder was distilled water instead of rum. I attribute that to the Dark Star. It looks and smells great, though - I'll fire up a test bowl as soon as I get over this head cold that seems to have attacked me out of nowhere.
I did notice that this batch seemed a little stickier than previous batches, even though the binder was distilled water instead of rum. I attribute that to the Dark Star. It looks and smells great, though - I'll fire up a test bowl as soon as I get over this head cold that seems to have attacked me out of nowhere.
Mmmm, tobacco brownies.
Looks awesome
Great thread! Just read through all the posts and am wondering how batch 1 through 3 turned out. Did you smoke them in Vegas and what was the verdict? Those plugs looked great.
- Thread starter
- #210
The first two batches were somewhat disappointing. They were essentially a casing experiment, utilizing the same tobacco blend but different types and amounts of binder. The problem was, as I discovered too late, a little bit of cigar leaf goes a loooong way in a pipe blend. They're smokeable, but I'm hoping a few years in the jar helps them out some. Blend #3 was better. I'm a fan of dark fired Kentucky leaf, which made a world of difference. Some of the later experiments have been (IMO) much better. "Chancellorsville" was probably my most successful, and has gotten decent reviews from those who've tried it. "Captain Packer's Black Death" started off as kind of a joke, but actually turned out pretty good.
I brought Blend #3, Chancellorsville, and St. James Silver to Vegas, but in all honesty there was so much going on they kind of got lost in the shuffle. @Hirsute and I smoked them, but with so much other stuff getting passed around, and with our palates pretty much fried already, they never really got "tested".
If we have a bigger contingent of Brown Leafers this year (or next), I might bring 'em again to try a passaround for some more diverse feedback.
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Thank you very much for the detailed reply! I loved the press and the details on what and how you were doing it. Hopefully some age on the blends with the cigar leaf will tone down that components overall influence.
Have a good afternoon.
Pete
Have a good afternoon.
Pete
- Thread starter
- #212
So, finally had my first test bowl of this latest concoction. First thing to note is that it was significantly wetter than previous batches. Not sure how much of that I can attribute to being only a few days out of the press, but it required much more time and effort to dry it out to a smokeable moisture level.
That said, I think this one might be a winner. It's certainly a lot more complex of a smoke than any of my previous blends. I only left one small cake out for the sampling effort, and jarred the rest up. I have a feeling that, when I open that jar up in a year or so, I may consider this my best effort.
That said, I think this one might be a winner. It's certainly a lot more complex of a smoke than any of my previous blends. I only left one small cake out for the sampling effort, and jarred the rest up. I have a feeling that, when I open that jar up in a year or so, I may consider this my best effort.
Nice, congrats on the "early" success!
Bravo Zulu!
Hirsute
Used to have fun with Commander Yellow Pantyhose
Yeah, I can say "yes, I enjoyed them," but our palettes were so trashed I can't say whether the St. James silver had a plum note or more of a port note. If @Price brings them again this year, I'll sample them earlier in the weekend to get a cleaner taste.
- Thread starter
- #216
That can be arranged.
Kinda reviving an older post. Back in March I received a sample of dark fired whole leaf. For a short time, I had to let this sample sit until I figured out what to do with it. In the meantime, I did some research and asked a few questions to the folks at Leaf Only for some suggestions. Prior to my birthday, I ordered some 1/4 lbs samples of bright and red Virginia and burley to mix with the 1oz sample of dark fired. In a spray bottle, I did a mix of some rum with a touch of vanilla and maple. Today, I separated out 1oz each of the Virginias and burley and about a half ounce of the dark fired, did a rough cut with some shears, sprayed the mix and now starting the press in a PVC tube and C-clamp. Hopefully in a few days, probably about 10, I’ll pull everything out and have a decent plug to smoke at some point. The biggest lesson I learned from this, I wish I had spent some money on getting at least a hand crank tobacco shredder. If this plug combo works out, I’ll probably get more whole leaf tobacco and a shredder as well.
As a whole, I found the combo I made sprayed with my rum mix to have a devine scent. My hope is the taste matches the smell in time. More to follow shortly.
R/
Dave
As a whole, I found the combo I made sprayed with my rum mix to have a devine scent. My hope is the taste matches the smell in time. More to follow shortly.
R/
Dave
I just ordered one of the pasta presses previously mentioned for pressing. This idea is intriguing to me but I have zero clue what I'm doing...which might just be a good thing.
I'm tuning in to all of this as I'm very curious and hope to benefit from the experience shared here.
I'm tuning in to all of this as I'm very curious and hope to benefit from the experience shared here.
This is my very first time to do anything like this. Figured I’d go all in on the first go round and hope for the best
. Best of luck with your trial run and using the pasta press.R/
Dave
From what info I could glean off the Internet the casing used on raw tobacco is pretty important. Uncased tobacco won’t taste the same as commercial blends...for better or for worse.
