Pure Tobacco Pipe Blends You Can Make

[GreenDragon]

Dark-Air Cured is a USDA market category of a number of varieties that tend to grow very large, rank leaves with dense trichomes (leaf hairs) and a sticky surface. The leaf stems are quite thick. The nicotine tends to be moderate to high. It is air-cured. It's common uses are typically not in cigarettes or cigars or even pipe, but rather in snuff, chew, plug and twists.

Virginia flue-cured tobaccos increase in color and flavor intensity as you move up the stalk. Flyers, Lemon, "Bright", Red. The Lemon tends to me most acidic.

Bob

Thanks Bob, much appreciated - Steve

 

[deluxestogie]

Ptarmigan Summer 1st Trial

I followed the algorithmic suggestion more closely for this first trial of the summer blend. It almost looks like a ptarmigan in my hand, only not as plump.

The pouch aroma is dominated by my use of Samsun as the Oriental component. This blend lights easily, and burns well. There is no tongue bite here. The nicotine strength is fairly robust. The aroma is that of a rich Turkish and Burley blend, as one might expect from the recipe. It produces a mid-gray ash.

My use of Burley red tips does increase the strength and fullness more than a lighter, burley lug, though my Burley red tips have been kilned for a month, which moderates its strength and flavor. Likewise, my Dark-Air has also been kilned, which moderates it.

My bottom line would be that this batch is a reasonable take on Ptarmigan Summer. I consider it an enjoyable late evening smoke. I'm not sure where summer comes in here.

Ptarmigan Summer: Bob's reasonable 1st blend of it

• Samsun 25% (4 parts per 16)
• Flue-cured Lemon Virginia 10% (1.5 parts per 16)
• Dark-Air [kilned] 5% (0.75 parts per 16)
• Flue-Cured Virginia Bright Cavendish 27.5% (4.5 parts per 16)
• Burley Red Tips [kilned] 32.5% (5.25 parts per 16)

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

I've decided that I like both of my Ptarmigan blends, although I will shuffle the variety choices a bit for the winter blend. The bite in the Winter blend faded after a couple of days mixed in the bag. The summer and winter are delightfully different. Thank you to those who contributed to the final recipes.

So I made up the final labels for these two. Unfortunately, I have so damn many suggested Ptarmigan blends and computed Ptarmigan blends and extrapolated Ptarmigan blends that I put incorrect numbers on the labels. They have been discarded. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow.

In the mean time, I would love to hear any reports of your own Ptarmigan ingredient choices, and how it came out.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

Ptale of Ptwo Ptarmigans

The blend labels. Your choice of specific varieties will make a big difference, especially with the burley in the summer blend, and the Cavendish and Oriental in both summer and winter.

Download pdf of 3.5" images (4 Mb).

Bob

 

[GreenDragon]

Love the labels Bob! I've had to order some WL pipe tobacco varieties as most of my collection is geared towards cigars. I'm hoping to make a small batch of each next weekend and will post my results. Anyone else giving it a go????

 

[Charly]

When I'll have all the ingredients I will definetly give it a try (or I might cheat a little and use what I have available )

 

[deluxestogie]

A Virginia / Perique / Oriental Blend

This blend came about as a curiosity. I was merrily blending a new, large batch of Pearl of Shibam, when, after measuring out the Virginia Bright, Samsun and Perique, I wondered how that might be without the 25% Latakia. Since I was in the midst of making a quadruple batch, I just blended those first three components, removed a quarter of it for the new blend trial, and then added the Latakia to the remainder as if for a triple batch. [See. Your Fifth Grade teacher was right. You need to know your fractions.]

Pouch aroma is mild and slightly floral (from the Samsun). It lights easily and burns well. There is no bite, because of the 5:3 Bright : Perique ratio. The smoke aroma is mellow, with an undercurrent of Perique. Unlike Pearl of Shibam, this lacks the smokiness of Latakia. Nicotine is mild to medium.

So, if you blend the usual ratios for Pearl of Shibam, but leave out the Latakia all together, you get:

Citadelle

• Flue-Cured Virginia 41.7% (5 parts per 12)
• Oriental (I used Samsun) 33.3% (4 parts per 12)
• Perique 25% (3 parts per 12)

Download the pdf of a 3.5" label.

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Download both Dolomiti labels on a single pdf page.

Bob

Dolmiti di Brenta

 

[Charly]

Beautiful pictures and colors!

 

[deluxestogie]

Alligators are Not Subtle

Either they have you for dinner, or they don't.

This is one of the Latakia / Perique blends from the book. Whether you are looking at a real angry alligator, or just smoking it, the whites of your eyes may show. Now, I'm not saying that the Latakia proportion is outrageously high, because it's not. Many well known Latakia blends range from 50%, all the way up to 75%. But Angry Alligator's combination of 43.5% Latakia, and dominant flue-cured Virginia Red will force you to pause, and contemplate its full, rich character.

Angry Alligator is not an all-day smoke for most folks. I find it particularly rewarding and relaxing as my last pipe of the evening. If you enjoy any Latakia at all, then mix up a small batch of this, and test it as a nightcap.

Bob

 

[GreenDragon]

I ain't afraid of no gators! (Well, maybe a little...) Anyway, I had fun coming up with a few mini-batches tonight. Although I confess I will have to work up the nerve to make the angry 'gator.

First out, being as there has not been much activity on the Chuck-Wills Widow, I decided to throw my hat in and give it a try:
10% Latakia
10% Fire Cured
20% Oriental - Bulgarian ("Basma")
10% Home Grown Cigar - Glessner (sorry, wasn't brave enough to go with the Nicaraguan Viso)
10% Maryland
30% Virginia Red
10% Cavendish (Burley / Va Red / Maryland)

Second blend is my version of Summer Ptarmigan:
20% Oriental - Samsun
20% Oriental - Bulgarian ("Basma")
25% Virginia Bright Leaf
15% Virginia Red
20% Perique

Will let these marry for a few days in the press and give them a test run.



Chuck-Wills Widow

 

[deluxestogie]

Just yesterday, I was thinking that the interest in Chuck Wills Widow had lapsed. I track the suggestions, and save them in a separate file. I guess I'll wait another week or two before finalizing the Chuck Wills Widow label. So far, I have two proposals, and no reports of testing.

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Just yesterday, I was thinking that the interest in Chuck Wills Widow had lapsed. I track the suggestions, and save them in a separate file. I guess I'll wait another week or two before finalizing the Chuck Wills Widow label. So far, I have two proposals, and no reports of testing.

Bob

I'm going to get around to it eventually. I've been waking up in the day in a sweat thinking, My God! I haven't tried Chuck Wills Widow yet.

 

[Traveling Piper]

I ain't afraid of no gators! (Well, maybe a little...) Anyway, I had fun coming up with a few mini-batches tonight. Although I confess I will have to work up the nerve to make the angry 'gator.

First out, being as there has not been much activity on the Chuck-Wills Widow, I decided to throw my hat in and give it a try:
10% Latakia
10% Fire Cured
20% Oriental - Bulgarian ("Basma")
10% Home Grown Cigar - Glessner (sorry, wasn't brave enough to go with the Nicaraguan Viso)
10% Maryland
30% Virginia Red
10% Cavendish (Burley / Va Red / Maryland)

Second blend is my version of Summer Ptarmigan:
20% Oriental - Samsun
20% Oriental - Bulgarian ("Basma")
25% Virginia Bright Leaf
15% Virginia Red
20% Perique

Will let these marry for a few days in the press and give them a test run.


View attachment 27101
Chuck-Wills Widow

View attachment 27102

That C-W-W is complex. I'm interested to know how it smokes. I'll have to amass the ingredients to make it happen!
Love the blending jar setup you've created, too, BTW.

 

[GreenDragon]

That C-W-W is complex. I'm interested to know how it smokes. I'll have to amass the ingredients to make it happen!
Love the blending jar setup you've created, too, BTW.

Yes it is, I hope it comes together well. It may taste like the South end of a Northbound camel! I was trying to tic all the boxes. Oriental for room note, fire cured and cigar for sultry, and the Maryland and cavendish for body.

I went ahead and removed everyone from the press this morning due to a structural issue with the wall. Along with the blends I had placed a book of burly in the press hoping to make some cube cut to play with. Trying to press it together I really upped the weight. Oops! Will have to add some reinforcement tonight.

 

[Traveling Piper]

Yes it is, I hope it comes together well. It may taste like the South end of a Northbound camel! I was trying to tic all the boxes. Oriental for room note, fire cured and cigar for sultry, and the Maryland and cavendish for body.

I went ahead and removed everyone from the press this morning due to a structural issue with the wall. Along with the blends I had placed a book of burly in the press hoping to make some cube cut to play with. Trying to press it together I really upped the weight. Oops! Will have to add some reinforcement tonight.

I was going to voice a little concern with the press--but refrained. While fortifying it, I would consider adding another board with the long axis x-section oriented vertically. I am concerned that the stress at the center of your fulcrum arm will eventually bend or break it due to it's orientation.
Here's a rough sketch of what I'm talking about.

 

[GreenDragon]

LOL yes, I originally built it as a cheese press for the wife. Using as a tobacco press, I am definitely exceeding the design parameters using 3X the usual weight. Easy enough to build version 2.0 this weekend. MORE POWER!!!!

 

[GreenDragon]

I swear, our weathermen couldn't predict what time it's going to be an hour from now. Instead of the blustery storms predicted, it's been overcast and windy this afternoon. Not complaining, as this allowed me to test our my blends! As it was very tropical feeling out and I was in a pirate mood in anticipation of the storms arriving later than predicted, I made myself a lovely dark and stormy to cleanse my pallet between bowls. Each blend was tested in a virgin MM cob pipe.

First off, a big Mea Culpa! I must have been tired last night, as I put the wrong recipe for summer ptarmigan in the post above. That was my my take on Bob's Basma Pastry Party (which was yummy BTW). The correct blend is:

Summer Ptarmigan
4/16 Samsun
2/16 Va Bright Leaf
2/16 Dark Air
5/16 Cavendish (Equal parts Burley / Va Red / Maryland)
3/16 Burley
Tasting notes: Bright and sunny, sweet and spicy (peppery) with notes of grassy hay. A melody played in the top notes without much bass. Pleasant and enjoyable smoke. Changes I would make for next formulation: decrease cavendish and up the burley or dark air.

Chuck-Wills Widow
Sweeter than Ptarmigan, with deeper, richer flavors, higher nicotine, but overall more balanced blend. Still, it's subtle enough that you can get a blast of Latikia if you pull too hard. Having tried this right after the ptarmigan, you really noticed the deeper, denser quality of the smoke. I really enjoyed this one and will be making a larger batch (pats self on back). Changes for next batch will include a stronger cigar leaf. I think that @ChinaVoodoo called it right with the suggestion of Nicaraguan Viso. One should listen to their elders...

(Note to Bob: all blends are certified cruelty free of any additives, flavorants, casings or toppings. Only RO water was used to bring into working casing. No tobaccos were harmed in the making of these blends.)

Also, I think my cube cut burley turned out nice.

 

[Traveling Piper]

Great review of the blends, man. These are glad tidings indeed!

 

[leverhead]

I swear, our weathermen couldn't predict what time it's going to be an hour from now.

It's getting pretty bad, looking out the window is becoming more useful.