Buy Tobacco Leaf Online | Whole Leaf Tobacco

New WLT Latakia and Perique: Product Review Moved to WLT

Status
Not open for further replies.

deluxestogie

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
23,931
Points
113
Location
near Blacksburg, VA
New WLT Latakia and New WLT Perique: a review

It's always a pleasure and a privilege to sample some of the new offerings of WLT before they are made available to purchase. It's like an advance copy of a book about to be published. In this instance, I'm reviewing two new tobaccos, both of which are intended for pipe blending, though some also use these for cigarette blending and cigar blending.

---
{Find deluxestogie's review for Latakia here, and Perique here! moved to the WLT website. Thank you Bob / deluxestogie!!!!!}
---

Since neither the Perique nor the Latakia is suitable for a solo run, I made up one of my favorite blends to sample them together:

Garden20180916_3923_pipeBlend_PearlOfShibam_closeup_200.jpg


Pearl of Shibam
  • WLT Lemon VA: 5 parts
  • New WLT Stacked Basma: 4 parts
  • New WLT 2017 Latakia: 4 parts
  • New WLT Perique: 3 parts
[I measured the "parts" in tablespoons of shred. No need for a lab balance. This is all hand-shredded to a coarse strand.]

I'll begin my impressions by mentioning that, years ago, I used to have Craig Tarler, at Cornell & Diehl, regularly mix this blend for me--it's not one offered by C&D. The primary blend difference between that and the present blend is my use today of WLT's really exquisitely cured Basma, instead of C&D's Izmir. Today's blend is better than any of it blended by C&D.

Pouch aroma: The crispy edge of the Basma is immediately evident, as is an intense Latakia incense. Both present the impression of "fresher" spice. The fruitiness of the Perique masks its underlying, subtle barnyard. For an English/Balkan blend, pouch aroma doesn't get any more inviting.​
Strength: The overall nicotine strength of this blend is mild to moderate, and seems typical of previous batches made from generic ingredients.​
Taste: I don't notice quite as much soapiness as I typically find in Latakia. The Lemon and Basma together give it an appropriate, sour edge. I suspect that my perceived, slight sweetness is imaginary. There is no particular taste to the Perique ingredient within the blend, as it burns. One secret to this particular blend is that the VA Lemon and Perique are in perfect balance, resulting in zero tongue bite.​
Aroma: The musty and warm scent of a spice censer swinging in the hand of a priest, as he slowly walks the aisle of a cathedral. Maybe even the friendly mustiness of the "stacks" in a university library 40 years ago (where browsing professors puffed Dunhill English blends and Balkan Sobranie White in their pipes).​
Burn: Typical and excellent and cool.​
Aftertaste: This leaves a delicious, slightly salty, dessert-like reminder.​
Residual Moisture: None in the bowl or shank. No dottle. Only clean, light gray ash.​

Conclusions:
The Stacked Basma, new Perique and the new Latakia are genuinely excellent. If you are considering purchasing similar blending ingredients (the pre-shredded stuff) from pipe tobacco retailers, all three of these WLT offerings are of a much higher quality, and cost a lot less.

-Bob
 
Last edited by a moderator:

deluxestogie

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
23,931
Points
113
Location
near Blacksburg, VA
...WLT offering pipe blends similar to the cigar and cigarette blends?
Interesting prospect. I don't know the proportion of pipe smokers who prefer highly flavored aromatics vs. those who smoke pure (unflavored) tobacco blends (Va-Per, "English-style" and "Balkan/Oriental-style").

Those pure tobacco blends would be excellent candidates for whole leaf blends, while the aromatics would require a bit of creativity from your tobacco casing consultant. Cavendish would be lacking, but that still leaves a wide range of possibilities:
  • Virginia and burley blends (like the commercial "Half-n-Half")
  • Virginia and Perique blends (Va-Per)
  • Balkan style blends (like the Pearl of Shibam recipe above, or selected blends--mild, medium and robust--from my Latakia blending matrix) [Every blend in the blending matrix consists of identical ingredients in differing proportions, pivoting on the percentage of Latakia. It seems like a "Master Latakia Blender" kit, accompanied by a printout of the matrix, would be a fun offering. ]
  • English style blends that include some burley (many of the commercial "English-style" formulations)
  • Lemon vs. bright vs. red in various ratios in any of the above Virginia ingredients
If you look at the ingredients (they seldom mention actual percentages) in the large selection of offerings from Cornell & Diehl, you can find some interesting possibilities.

https://www.smokingpipes.com/tobacco/by-maker/cornell-diehl/bulk/

Clicking on each of the blends will reveal the ingredients list of that blend. Lots of ideas there.

Bob
 

ChinaVoodoo

Moderator
Joined
Sep 1, 2014
Messages
7,166
Points
113
Location
Edmonton, AB, CA
I would say only as very general blends, such as navy flake, and an English blend. Half and half, as Bob suggested sounds good in principle, but the actual Half and Half is so bad that the mere mention of it gives me flashbacks. It would be a copywrite problem, it wouldn't offer much that a navy blend with perique in it wouldn't offer, and although it would be excellent, the name would make you think of one of the worst pipe tobaccos to ever have existed.
 

deluxestogie

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
23,931
Points
113
Location
near Blacksburg, VA
Half-n-Half, as well as a dozen or so other long-time "drugstore" blends sells a gazillion units a year. Whether or not you personally like it (I don't. And the commercial casing wrinkles my nose.), it holds a significant market share. A blend kit will survive or die, depending on interest level, rather than on our personal preferences.

Navy flake is essentially just Virginia and Latakia. Add burley? That's easy. Add some Perique? Sure. That's the beauty of a blend kit that functions like a well-stocked pantry.

Bob
 

FmGrowit

Head Honcho
Staff member
Joined
May 17, 2011
Messages
5,281
Points
113
Location
Freedom, Ohio, United States
Seems I recall seeing something about a blending matrix somewhere on the forum. It would probably make the most sense using tried and true recipes.
I would also insist on the Tobacconist who created the blends accept a Royalty for using his work.
 

deluxestogie

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
23,931
Points
113
Location
near Blacksburg, VA
Every one repeatedly tried and true.

LatakiaBlendingMatrix.JPG


There is of course the always imitable Pearl of Shibam. Perique blends in general are computed with a Virginia : Perique ratio of 5:3 for zero bite, regardless of the other ingredients, and a lower proportion of Perique if a more edgy Virginia taste is desired.

I have not at all explored pipe blends using portions of cigar leaf (since they make my pipes stinky).

I'll accept a principality, dukedom or even just a single county.

Bob
 

deluxestogie

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
23,931
Points
113
Location
near Blacksburg, VA
Just for everyone's amusement, here is an image for a Pearl of Shibam blend, sized to fit on a round, removable laser/inkjet label. It uses a generic description of ingredients.

PearlOfShibam_blendLabel_4in.jpg


Most browsers will allow you to right-click it, and select download image. [Again, the inscrutable Arabic says, "al sharq", which means, "The East".]

Bob
 

tullius

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2019
Messages
892
Points
93
Location
NE Ohio
Thanks for the reviews Bob.

Somewhat off topic...Is there any interest in WLT offering pipe blends similar to the cigar and cigarette blends?

Big YES. I was looking for something like this when I first looked at the WLT website, but nothing quite fit the bill. Generally agree with both ChiVdoo and bob. My input is:
  • offer 3 blends to start: virginia/perique, english, balkan. If they do OK, add more blends.
  • forget burley for now: there are a ton of burley mixtures on the market, and most looking for whole leaf pipe tobaccos aren't looking for flavored (or non-flavored) burleys.
  • keep the pricing attractive and a good value: 5 lbs. in half pound packages at a bargain price offers the beginner or taster a good full blending palette in one package.
  • include unflavored cavendish with the english blends, necessary to make the scottish types like MM965, and others like RRR, RBM, etc.
My two cents (or bytes, as it were).
 

Costard

Active Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2020
Messages
28
Points
28
Location
USA
The WLT latakia sounds/reads like a rich, pungent and incense-like leaf. Does the WLT vapor-proof bag contain the smell (no cross smell with other tobaccos in a WLT box)?
 

Costard

Active Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2020
Messages
28
Points
28
Location
USA
Yes. If the bag is closed and you haven't gotten the outside dirty, you won't smell it unless if you really really try.
Thanks @ChinaVoodoo. Would you happen to now how long the bags keep the tobacco? WLT mentions "that the tobacco will keep in perfect condition for a year or longer if the bag remains sealed." Does that imply I should process and transfer any of the WLT tobaccos I have to an airtight container (like a Ball jar) within a year or two of receipt?
 

deluxestogie

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
May 25, 2011
Messages
23,931
Points
113
Location
near Blacksburg, VA
If the perique arrives in a bag that is vacuum sealed, it will sit at room temperature for years, without changing noticeably. (I have several such bags that I've held for a number of years.) Once I open the bag, then I close it with a couple of clothespins, and store that bag in the back of the fridge. Refrigerated, it may gradually grow a bit more of the yeast, Pichia anomala, which is the bug that makes it perique to start with, and is just fine.

So...vacuum sealed, then no worries for storage. Once opened, store in the fridge.

Bob
 

burge

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2014
Messages
1,573
Points
113
Location
Alberta
Thanks @ChinaVoodoo. Would you happen to now how long the bags keep the tobacco? WLT mentions "that the tobacco will keep in perfect condition for a year or longer if the bag remains sealed." Does that imply I should process and transfer any of the WLT tobaccos I have to an airtight container (like a Ball jar) within a year or two of receipt?
My bags the tobacco dries out in 6 months to about a year. You can leave tobacco in those bags for a long time I had 6 years till I finally opened a bag. It has to be remoistened. When it is air tight you get different tastes and I think the leaf still changes when it is dry. I wouldn't transfer anything over and its best to leave it in the bags.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top