Hi, I’m new to RYO but recently purchased whole leaf and want to try either casing or topping it to create a coffee flavor. I stumbled upon another user’s similar thread:
Thread 'History and info on using coffee in a casing sauce?'
But was less about creating a coffee flavor. Does anyone have suggestions / recipes on how to flavor using espresso or Kahlua?The leaves I bought are Virginia flue cured orange leaf and oriental basma — thinking I would flavor the Virginia but not basma.
Any advice would be appreciated.
My first thought is just spray it on in small micro-batches (enough for just a few rollies) with the understanding that it won't necessarily achieve the flavor you're after quickly, but will at least give you a thumbs up/thumbs down sense for whether the technique will eventually work (given careful measurement and time to age with the new flavor).
So just using a spray bottle to apply some Kahlua on tobacco warmed in the microwave (or not), then dried back down to rolling case.
However, a pipe tobacco guy on another forum discourages direct application of any alcoholic stuff, saying it messes up the tobacco. I'm not sure about that since I think rum was a pretty common additive for pressed Navy Plug tobacco.
Anyway, he recommended infusion - putting the booze and tobacco together in a closed container but separated from each other (no direct contact or soaking up of the booze) for weeks to get the aroma. Not sure that would impart much flavor though...
There's also pressing. Apply your casing and use a noodle press to squeeze the heck out of it for a few days or longer. This idea is also from pipe forums. Player's Medium Navy Cut...
Maybe someone has already done a coffee flavor and will chime in. Otherwise, experiment away and do a goodly amount of googling, I guess. My sense is there's bound to be someone on one of the pipe or cigar forums who has tried this.
