So...exactly how will you go about blending your own pipe tobaccos with Syrian Latakia?
Bob
Bob
Pure Tobacco Pipe Blends You Can Make
- Thread starter deluxestogie
- Start date
greenmonster714
Well-Known Member
Probably won't unless I spark up a friendship with Ahmed the Latakia maker of Syria. I do like the stuff though. I'll just have to make do with WLT latakia.
greenmonster714
Well-Known Member
I don't think HH Acadian Perique is heavy on the perique, if you take a look on tobaccoreviews, it says : "with about 5% or more perique"
I dunno Charly. If it only had 5% then I am sure i want to buy some blending perique and blend my own. I've never smelled or tasted a tobacco like the Arcadian. I will try to copy it later down the road.
Given how truly easy it is to make your own Perique from just about any variety of tobacco, purchasing blending Perique is an expensive way to approach it. To make it yourself, you just squish the selected leaf (home-grown that has been mostly air-cured, or any purchased whole leaf from WLT) for 3 months in a liquid-holding container. Besides being easy, fun and gratifying to do on your own, it can provide an inexpensive, nearly endless supply of Perique. Every batch has its own unique character.
With all the varieties that you'll be growing in 2017, the opportunity beckons.
Bob
With all the varieties that you'll be growing in 2017, the opportunity beckons.
Bob
I thought I should use an early post after signing up here to give thanks to all of you who have shared recipes. I've been busy trying many of the recipes you've posted, and having a ball.
Since DeluxeStogie encouraged us to use his Latakia blending matrix as a starting point for our own experimentation, I've done exactly that, starting by creating sample batches of each of his blends in the matrix. I liked Smyrna Bright best, and decided to develop that recipe into something I like even better. Having had some success, I'm ready to share this recipe with you.
Novo Prilep
This blend is based on Smyrna Bright, and it represents my attempt to add even more body and complexity to the blend, and maybe a little sweetness as well.
10% Latakia
15% Latakia - toasted
10% Lemon Virginia flue cured
20% Lemon Virginia, toasted
15% Carolina Ribbon, toasted
10% Red Virginia flue cured
5% Dark air cured
10% Prilep
5% Smyrna
I should clarify what I mean by "toasted" since I've found that people sharing recipes around the internet use the terms "toasted" and "stoved" confusingly, and I don't claim to know which is the correct term for what I did. I measured out the portions of Lemon Virginia, Carolina Ribbon and Latakia that I planned to heat, wrapped them up loosely in a sheet of aluminum foil, sealed the edges, and then cooked it at 275 degrees for three hours in a toaster oven. (The whole garage smelled wonderful.) While it was still hot, I carefully opened the foil package, spritzed the contents with a mist of water, and sealed it back up to absorb the moisture, so I wouldn't break it apart by handling it dry. I mixed the rest of the contents in a large bowl, and sprayed it with WLT's casing No 1 and Casing No 2 in roughly equal amounts. (if you buy WLT's Sampler pack it comes with three different casings that are meant to be added to flue-cured, fire cured and air cured tobaccos.) After the toasted tobaccos had time to absorb some moisture, I added them to the bowl, and then sprayed the whole batch lightly a couple more times with plain water to bring it up to high case, to aid in the pressing.
Next, I laid out about half of the whole leaf, spread the crumbled latakia and carolina ribbon evenly, and built a couple thin layers. I arranged the leaves with my press in mind, so the resulting roll (something like a giant cigar) would fit in the 1.25 inch PVC pipe I was using as a press. After rolling up the lot, I carefully stuffed it into the PVC pipe, trying to preserve the shape as I stuffed it in. Then I added a bottom and a top cap to the PVC pipe, made from oak disks. I pressed it using a shop press, until I had a tobacco tube about eight inches long, then transferred the press into a C-clamp, and left it clamped for two days, tightening the clamp several times each day. Since then I've learned that the shop press is not necessary: you can easily just use the c-clamp or a pipe clamp to do the work of pressing from start to finish and the result is basically the same.
Here's a photo of the press I used to achieve a rollcake that would cut up into coins. It is made from a scrap of PVC and oak cut from a broken shovel handle.
And these are the resulting 100 gram rollcakes. Both cakes are the same recipe, but different tobacco leaves wound up on the outside.
The result is a nice-tasting English/Balkan blend with some spice and complexity provided by the Prilep and Smyrna, and a bit of sweetness that comes from the toasted Virginias.
Since DeluxeStogie encouraged us to use his Latakia blending matrix as a starting point for our own experimentation, I've done exactly that, starting by creating sample batches of each of his blends in the matrix. I liked Smyrna Bright best, and decided to develop that recipe into something I like even better. Having had some success, I'm ready to share this recipe with you.
Novo Prilep
This blend is based on Smyrna Bright, and it represents my attempt to add even more body and complexity to the blend, and maybe a little sweetness as well.
10% Latakia
15% Latakia - toasted
10% Lemon Virginia flue cured
20% Lemon Virginia, toasted
15% Carolina Ribbon, toasted
10% Red Virginia flue cured
5% Dark air cured
10% Prilep
5% Smyrna
I should clarify what I mean by "toasted" since I've found that people sharing recipes around the internet use the terms "toasted" and "stoved" confusingly, and I don't claim to know which is the correct term for what I did. I measured out the portions of Lemon Virginia, Carolina Ribbon and Latakia that I planned to heat, wrapped them up loosely in a sheet of aluminum foil, sealed the edges, and then cooked it at 275 degrees for three hours in a toaster oven. (The whole garage smelled wonderful.) While it was still hot, I carefully opened the foil package, spritzed the contents with a mist of water, and sealed it back up to absorb the moisture, so I wouldn't break it apart by handling it dry. I mixed the rest of the contents in a large bowl, and sprayed it with WLT's casing No 1 and Casing No 2 in roughly equal amounts. (if you buy WLT's Sampler pack it comes with three different casings that are meant to be added to flue-cured, fire cured and air cured tobaccos.) After the toasted tobaccos had time to absorb some moisture, I added them to the bowl, and then sprayed the whole batch lightly a couple more times with plain water to bring it up to high case, to aid in the pressing.
Next, I laid out about half of the whole leaf, spread the crumbled latakia and carolina ribbon evenly, and built a couple thin layers. I arranged the leaves with my press in mind, so the resulting roll (something like a giant cigar) would fit in the 1.25 inch PVC pipe I was using as a press. After rolling up the lot, I carefully stuffed it into the PVC pipe, trying to preserve the shape as I stuffed it in. Then I added a bottom and a top cap to the PVC pipe, made from oak disks. I pressed it using a shop press, until I had a tobacco tube about eight inches long, then transferred the press into a C-clamp, and left it clamped for two days, tightening the clamp several times each day. Since then I've learned that the shop press is not necessary: you can easily just use the c-clamp or a pipe clamp to do the work of pressing from start to finish and the result is basically the same.
Here's a photo of the press I used to achieve a rollcake that would cut up into coins. It is made from a scrap of PVC and oak cut from a broken shovel handle.
And these are the resulting 100 gram rollcakes. Both cakes are the same recipe, but different tobacco leaves wound up on the outside.
The result is a nice-tasting English/Balkan blend with some spice and complexity provided by the Prilep and Smyrna, and a bit of sweetness that comes from the toasted Virginias.
Could you elaborate on the difference between the Latakia and the toasted Latakia?
Bob
Bob
I read another recipe somewhere that suggested that toasting Latakia will "mellow" it in some way, but I don't notice any difference in the Latakia flavor after having toasted it. I do notice a pronounced sweetness that I didn't taste in your Smyrna Bright blend, a sweetness that I attribute to toasting the Virginias. The experiment in toasting Latakia didn't bear any fruit, at least on my palate.
Is "toasting" the correct term for what I did?
The terms, "toasting" and "stoving," are used every which way. I assume that toasting is dry. But I've seen steaming called "stoving," so I think the use of either term requires some qualification.
I have never considered toasting Latakia, since it is already so heavily fire-cured. But it might do something. If you can smell the Latakia while it's in the oven, then some volatiles are wafting away. I doubt there's much left in Latakia that can caramelize
Thanks for the project description.
Bob
I have never considered toasting Latakia, since it is already so heavily fire-cured. But it might do something. If you can smell the Latakia while it's in the oven, then some volatiles are wafting away. I doubt there's much left in Latakia that can caramelize
Thanks for the project description.
Bob
DistillingJim
Well-Known Member
Good work cowboy, welcome aboard
I just finished a bowl of this, and it's really lovely stuff. It's one recipe I won't mess with much. I've only made up 100 grams thus far, but I suspect a pound of it is headed for my cellar soon. I used 10 grams each of Prilep and Smyrna for the oriental portion.
Is the bright-cured leaf from WLT typically sweeter than red or lemon?
DistillingJim
Well-Known Member
One I threw together and tried this afternoon. Pleased with the results
40% Red Va
40% Dark Stoved Lemon Va (6 hours in a jar in the oven at full case followed by 12 in the oven in a press. I keep it at 80* to try and keep the enzymes alive)
20% Fire Cured
5% Dark Air Cured
I'm aware this adds up to 105% but the Dark Air was a last minute addition and I cba redoing the maths.
1 week spent in a press then sliced into flakes. Will benefit from age but is pretty pleasant now. First blend I've been really happy with.
40% Red Va
40% Dark Stoved Lemon Va (6 hours in a jar in the oven at full case followed by 12 in the oven in a press. I keep it at 80* to try and keep the enzymes alive)
20% Fire Cured
5% Dark Air Cured
I'm aware this adds up to 105% but the Dark Air was a last minute addition and I cba redoing the maths.
1 week spent in a press then sliced into flakes. Will benefit from age but is pretty pleasant now. First blend I've been really happy with.
greenmonster714
Well-Known Member
That sounds delicious Jim. Can't wait to try out some recipes on my own leaf. If ya come up with more please share. Thanks
Gmac
Well-Known Member
How to make half & half as bought at the store?
The pure tobacco part is easy. It's half air-cured burley, and half flue-cured Virginia. It's been a few years since I stuck my nose into a pouch of Half & Half, so I'm drawing a blank on their distinctive flavorants.
Bob
I have a pouch of Half & Half here, and I just stuck my nose in. It has a mildly sweet topping, a hint of chocolate in the pouch that doesn't come through in the smoke, and maybe a hint of licorice. I'd try using some molasses for the sweetness, and you could duplicate the licorice using some crushed fennel or caraway seed soaked in alcohol.
The only tobacco I smoke regularly that has a mild chocolatey flavor in the smoke is Carter Hall, though it doesn't come through in the pouch. The Half & Half is the opposite: I smell the chocolate in the pouch, but taste none in the smoke.
What would you use to impart chocolate scents or flavors?
The only tobacco I smoke regularly that has a mild chocolatey flavor in the smoke is Carter Hall, though it doesn't come through in the pouch. The Half & Half is the opposite: I smell the chocolate in the pouch, but taste none in the smoke.
What would you use to impart chocolate scents or flavors?
You could try coco poweder in water and sugar as a casing or chocolate syrup diluted with water. If the coco has a strong chocolate smell you could just put the leaf in the powder and the tobacco will absorb the flavor as it does with a slice of apple.
Adding flavorants to tobacco is a worthwhile discussion, and a fascinating journey to explore. This particular thread, however, is about pure tobacco blends. I worry that the flavorant discussion will overtake the "pure tobacco" aspect. Also, a member searching for a discussion of flavored tobaccos won't be able to easily find it here.
Bob
Bob
A Pure Tobacco Pipe Blend You Can't Make
This year, I grew the Indonesian variety, Prancak N-1, which was developed from crossing Prancak 95 (an Indonesian variety from the island of Madura) and Izmir, a traditional Turkish variety. I flue-cured the lower leaves of the plants (2 primings) about 1 month ago. The leaf has been hanging, subject to ambient conditions since then. All traces of green have disappeared.
Several years ago, I grew Chillard's White Angel Leaf, which Chillardbee discovered. It is likely a white-stem burley, but is incredibly mild. Last year, I processed some of the Chillard's air-cured as pressure-cured Perique, which produced a mildly fruity, and generally subdued Perique.
My third ingredient today is 2017 Virginia Bright Leaf, which was flue-cured about 1 month ago.
To continue the saga, this morning I decided to smoke some of the Prancak N-1 flue-cured. After stemming and shredding a few leaves, I decided that it still smelled a little "raw". (I'll probably kiln the remainder of the flue-cured Prancak N-1, since the flue-curing didn't complete all the chemical changes.) So I shredded some of the flue-cured VA Bright to blend with the Prancak.
[This September 1 excursion into a pipe blend is the result of blowing rains from the remnant of Hurricane Harvey passing over southwest Virginia. I can't sit on the front porch for my breakfast cigar. I had to settle for a "winter" breakfast pipe in my study.]
I carried the Ziplock of Prancak N-1/VA Bright blend to the study, and discovered a small bag of Chillard's Perique there--abandoned, once the weather had warmed in late spring. Perique-processed tobacco maintains its case better than other non-cased tobaccos. The Chillard's Perique is probably the mildest of the many Perique tobaccos that I've created over the past few years.
On a whim, I combined the two, filled a corncob, and fired it up. The result is a mild, subtle Virginia/Perique blend that is completely free of tongue bite. There is none of the "fresh baked sugar cookie" character that I found with flue-cured Prilep. It's just a lovely, soft pipe blend. No deep smokiness or bottom notes. It's just tasty, unobtrusive and enjoyable.
This recipe is a best guess of my casual blending:
Bob
This year, I grew the Indonesian variety, Prancak N-1, which was developed from crossing Prancak 95 (an Indonesian variety from the island of Madura) and Izmir, a traditional Turkish variety. I flue-cured the lower leaves of the plants (2 primings) about 1 month ago. The leaf has been hanging, subject to ambient conditions since then. All traces of green have disappeared.
Several years ago, I grew Chillard's White Angel Leaf, which Chillardbee discovered. It is likely a white-stem burley, but is incredibly mild. Last year, I processed some of the Chillard's air-cured as pressure-cured Perique, which produced a mildly fruity, and generally subdued Perique.
My third ingredient today is 2017 Virginia Bright Leaf, which was flue-cured about 1 month ago.
To continue the saga, this morning I decided to smoke some of the Prancak N-1 flue-cured. After stemming and shredding a few leaves, I decided that it still smelled a little "raw". (I'll probably kiln the remainder of the flue-cured Prancak N-1, since the flue-curing didn't complete all the chemical changes.) So I shredded some of the flue-cured VA Bright to blend with the Prancak.
[This September 1 excursion into a pipe blend is the result of blowing rains from the remnant of Hurricane Harvey passing over southwest Virginia. I can't sit on the front porch for my breakfast cigar. I had to settle for a "winter" breakfast pipe in my study.]
I carried the Ziplock of Prancak N-1/VA Bright blend to the study, and discovered a small bag of Chillard's Perique there--abandoned, once the weather had warmed in late spring. Perique-processed tobacco maintains its case better than other non-cased tobaccos. The Chillard's Perique is probably the mildest of the many Perique tobaccos that I've created over the past few years.
On a whim, I combined the two, filled a corncob, and fired it up. The result is a mild, subtle Virginia/Perique blend that is completely free of tongue bite. There is none of the "fresh baked sugar cookie" character that I found with flue-cured Prilep. It's just a lovely, soft pipe blend. No deep smokiness or bottom notes. It's just tasty, unobtrusive and enjoyable.
This recipe is a best guess of my casual blending:
- Chillard's Perique: 8 parts
- Flue-cured Prancak N-1: 5 parts
- Flue-cured Virginia Bright Leaf: 3 parts
Bob
Medium Strength Virginia/Perique Blend
I snagged one leaf of my 2017 VA Bright Leaf flue-cured, from the upper stalk, took a small handful of my 2015 sun-cured Izmir-Karabaglar, and added some of the 1 year Perique sent to me by BrownThumb. Using a quarter leaf of the VA Bright as a wrapper, I rolled all the rest into a small corona-size cigar, flattened it, then finely shredded it with my Kohn-Rikon 6" kulu blade, finally slicing the "coins" in half.
Recipe guesstimation:
Special thanks to BrownThumb.
Bob
I snagged one leaf of my 2017 VA Bright Leaf flue-cured, from the upper stalk, took a small handful of my 2015 sun-cured Izmir-Karabaglar, and added some of the 1 year Perique sent to me by BrownThumb. Using a quarter leaf of the VA Bright as a wrapper, I rolled all the rest into a small corona-size cigar, flattened it, then finely shredded it with my Kohn-Rikon 6" kulu blade, finally slicing the "coins" in half.
Recipe guesstimation:
- VA Bright Leaf flue-cured: 5 parts
- Izmir Karabaglar: 6 parts
- BrownThumb 1 year Perique: 5 parts
Special thanks to BrownThumb.
Bob
mwaller
Well-Known Member
Thanks to a generous member on this forum, I was able to try some single varietal orientals. I love the flavor and aroma! What would you blend with an oriental to increase the strength without sacrificing the flavor and aromatics of the orientals?
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