Pure Tobacco Pipe Blends You Can Make

[Radagast]

Black Dog.
The old canine cryptid of England. There are a few iterations of mysterious black dogs, the coolest of which is the "Black Shuck" that terrorized the town of Peterborough England as long ago as 1127 and is thought to be the inspiration for one of my favourite Sherlock Holmes stories; The Hound of The Baskervilles. You'll need to do your own pipe smoking for this story because there isn't as much of it going on as there is in others. In fact, Holmes himself is absent for a while. Let's say this is a tobacco to supplement the lack of Holmes' characteristic hobby.
Black dogs are cool.
Here's one that won't bite:

2 parts half/half cavendish (any mild cavendish would be good, I used half/half flu cured and burley made into black cavendish in the typical way)
1 part Prilep (or use any oriental)
1 part Little Dutch (I don't know if there's a substitute for this)
1 part Latakia (leave this out if you don't like it or have it on hand)

Very agreeable and easy to smoke with a sweet aromatic and smokey quality.
I've been mucking around with these ingredients for a while and as long as I'm in the ball park of these proportions it tastes relatively the same so it can be roughly eyeballed. I'm very pleased with this one, so I do hope you'll try it and let me know what you think.

PS
Here is another black dog who won't bite, helping me smoke this. Allow me to introduce Hank, the not-quite-so-legendary Black Schmuck of Peterborough Canada! He's cool for different reasons.

 

[deluxestogie]

Black Dog

Interesting blend. I would suggest, as possible substitutes for Little Dutch (in descending order of similarity):

1. Dutch Ohio
2. Pennsylvania Red
3. Long Red

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

Photo: Tom Shelford

Rush hour, for some folks, is less stressful than for others. This pipe blend is more of a lazy, pastoral kind of rush hour, where your only chore is to stroll along, and encourage the stragglers.

In this Dorset Rush Hour blend, the Maryland component, MD 609, provides a smooth body, with a gentle aroma and easy burn. Its nicotine contribution is moderate. NB-11 burley broadens the aroma profile. (Mine was stalk-cured, with a random selection of priming levels.) The small portion of Small Stalk Black Mammoth CAVENDISH (a dark air-cured variety) adds the bass notes, without adding too much alkalinity, and the Basma balances the pH, to render the blend bite free.

[I have smoked about 1 pound of this laid back blend.]

If you use a more aggressive variety of burley, then you may want to slightly reduce its proportion, in exchange for a bit more Oriental.

Dorset Rush Hour

• MD 609 50% (8 parts per 16)
• NB-11 burley 25% (4 parts per 16)
• WLT Stacked Basma 18.75% (3 parts per 16)
• Black Mammoth CAVENDISH 6.25% (1 part per 16)

Countryside Rush Hour

• Maryland 50% (8 parts per 16)
• Burley 25% (4 parts per 16)
• Oriental 18.75% (3 parts per 16)
• Dark Air-cured CAVENDISH 6.25% (1 part per 16)

Download 3½" hi-res label for Dorset Rush Hour as pdf.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

Photo: Peter Kitano

The horses may be wild, but this smooth and mild pipe blend is a tame one. NB-11 Burley, developed in New Brunswick, Canada, is generally milder (more polite, one might say) than typical Kentucky burley. The Krumovgrad (a Basma-type Oriental) lends the blend a light, floral note, while perfectly balancing the pH. If you choose to utilize a different burley, or different Oriental, then the ratio will likely require some adjustment.

This blend lights easily, burns well, and is generally well behaved. The flavor profile is light-weight, but broad. While certainly perfect for the first few pipes of the day, it will seem flat after a cigar or heavier pipe blend.

Wild Bulgarian

• NB-11 Burley 75% (12 parts per 16)
• Krumovgrad 25% (4 parts per 16)

Wild Horse

• Burley 75% (12 parts per 16)
• Oriental 25% (4 parts per 16)

Download 3½" hi-res label for Wild Bulgarian as pdf

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

Photo: John J. Wiens

Snake lore: Red and yellow will kill a fellow. Red and black is a friend of Jack.

The Scarlet King Snake (shown in the label above) is not poisonous. It's colors resemble those of the Coral Snake, which secretes a neurotoxic venom into its saliva. Neither variety possesses fangs. The Coral Snake kind of chews on you with its sharp teeth, allowing its toxin to get into your body, and cause paralysis—which may kill you, in the absence of a ventilator. Since snakes likely cannot see colors, the warning (Coral) and the fake warning (King) are aimed at warding off potential predators.

Coral Snake. (photo: National Park Service)

The visual key to telling the King Snake and the Coral Snake apart is the pattern of their colors. On the Coral Snake, red and yellow bands appear adjacent to one another. On the King Snake, red and black are adjacent to one another. Hence the snake lore.

So...This pipe blend is your friend, Jack. It won't kill you. It's nicotine is full, and its flavor profile and aroma are also generous. This is no garter snake. There is only a hint of Perique in the pouch aroma. If the blend seems a bit too full for your taste, then increase the proportion of Basma (or other Oriental).

Friend of Jack

• VA Bright 31.25% (5 parts per 16)
• Perique CAVENDISH 25% (4 parts per 16)
• Maryland CAVENDISH 18.75% (3 parts per 16)
• NB-11 Burley CAVENDISH 18.75% (3 parts per 16)
• Basma 6.25% (1 part per 16)

Download 3½" hi-res label for Friend of Jack as pdf.

Bob

 

[Hemlock]

Having just received a first delivery of WLT I am now looking to slowly ease into personal blending.

I have Lemon and Red VA, perique, Krumovgrad and Red Tip Burley. Before I go through the extra effort to build and press a plug, I’m looking for suggestions on a recipe for a ribbon cut. No home made cavendish or Latakia at the moment to add.

I bought the casing sprays from WLT so will apply to the VA and Burley as instructed.

Would like to have something I can smoke readily without aging, stoving etc.

Ideas based on experience are welcome, considering body, burning, balanced flavours, pH etc. I smoke all varieties of tobacco blends, so I have no biases.

 

[deluxestogie]

Lots of recipes fit your criteria in this very thread.

For starters (none with casing):

• Flue-cured: 31.25% (5 parts per 16)
• Perique 18.75% (3 parts per 16)
• Oriental 31.25% (5 parts per 16)
• Burley 18.75% (3 parts per 16)

Shred. Smoke.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

If you download the free pdf version of 90 More Pipe Blends (linked in the Index of Key Forum Threads), there is a table on pages 27-29 in which you can simply cross reference general blend components, to find blends to match your ingredients, then locate the blends in the remainder of the book. Nearly all of those blends are already in this thread.

Bob

 

[Hemlock]

Lots of recipes fit your criteria in this very thread.

For starters (none with casing):

• Flue-cured: 31.25% (5 parts per 16)
• Perique 18.75% (3 parts per 16)
• Oriental 31.25% (5 parts per 16)
• Burley 18.75% (3 parts per 16)

Shred. Smoke.

Bob

Thanks will give this one a try. I like that it has a good amount of Oriental to be noticeable.

 

[Hemlock]

If you download the free pdf version of 90 More Pipe Blends (linked in the Index of Key Forum Threads), there is a table on pages 27-29 in which you can simply cross reference general blend components, to find blends to match your ingredients, then locate the blends in the remainder of the book. Nearly all of those blends are already in this thread.

Bob

Thanks I did download it and many thanks for that amazing publication! Great contribution to the hobby of pipes and tobaccos. Will check it out and experiment.

 

[RoperLegacyWoods]

Interesting.

In terms of strength, the burley Cavendish seems to be the pivot. My burley Cavendish ranged from very mild to quite strong, depending on the stalk position and specific variety. I suppose one could make half a dozen noticeably different blends from the same recipe, by just varying the burley Cavendish selection.

My current stock of Cavendish was made from Bolivia Criollo Black, and is potent. I add it to blends in quantities of a tablespoon to a 1/2 pound batch.

Bob

I presume you do your own Cavindish-ing? As a pipe smoker, I’m wanting to start growing and curing my own this year. I’ve purchased a couple of the books about blending from this forum recently and I was wondering what varieties you’d recommend a beginner to grow their first season?

 

[deluxestogie]

The number of varieties depends on how many total plants you expect to grow. I would suggest at least 4 varieties, and maybe at least 4 to six of each. Any variety can be also cooked into Cavendish. While flue-cure varieties and Orientals don't make particularly flavorful perique, any of the other can make perique.

• Virginia flue-cure variety (which can be sun-cured)
• Oriental (sun-cured)
• burley
• dark air-cured variety
• Maryland
• Pennsylvania broadleaf / seedleaf

The specific varieties can be whatever strikes your fancy. The fun with growing for pipe blending is that however many varieties you grow, most can also be made into Cavendish and perique, tripling your list of potential ingredients. Building a kiln, to dramatically speed-up the aging, can wait until the leaf has cured.

Bob

 

[RoperLegacyWoods]

The number of varieties depends on how many total plants you expect to grow. I would suggest at least 4 varieties, and maybe at least 4 to six of each. Any variety can be also cooked into Cavendish. While flue-cure varieties and Orientals don't make particularly flavorful perique, any of the other can make perique.

• Virginia flue-cure variety (which can be sun-cured)
• Oriental (sun-cured)
• burley
• dark air-cured variety
• Maryland
• Pennsylvania broadleaf / seedleaf

The specific varieties can be whatever strikes your fancy. The fun with growing for pipe blending is that however many varieties you grow, most can also be made into Cavendish and perique, tripling your list of potential ingredients. Building a kiln, to dramatically speed-up the aging, can wait until the leaf has cured.

Bob

Thank you very much for responding to my questions! May I ask your recommendation for building a kiln, dimensions, instructions etc?

 

[deluxestogie]

Various kiln construction plans are linked in our Index of Key Forum Threads.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

From the 1952 film, Pony Soldier, featuring Tyrone Power.

NB-11 Burley is a grower-selected variety, developed in New Brunswick, Canada. It is highly productive, cures easily, and offers a medium-to-full nicotine (typical of burley). [My NB-11 was aged in the shed for 1 year, then kilned and rested.] Pony Soldier is a blend balanced with flue-cured Virginia Bright (mid-leaf) and a CAVENDISH cooked from Small Stalk Black Mammoth, which is a Dark Air-cured variety.

The blend lights easily, and burns well, to a fine, nearly white ash. Smoke aroma is mild and gentle, though the nicotine comes in on the high side of medium. There is a bit of room to increase the dark air-cured Cavendish proportion, for more nicotine, if you wish. Room note seems somewhat pungent, which I attribute to the Small Stalk Black Mammoth fragrance.

Pony Soldier

• NB-11 Burley 43.75% (7 parts per 16)
• Flue-cured Virginia Bright 43.75% (7 parts per 16)
• Small Stalk Black Mammoth CAVENDISH 12.5% (2 parts per 16)

Dog-face Pony Soldier

• Burley 43.75% (7 parts per 16)
• Flue-cured Virginia 43.75% (7 parts per 16)
• Dark Air-cured CAVENDISH 12.5% (2 parts per 16)

Download 3½" hi-res label for Pony Soldier as pdf.

Bob

 

[JukkaPekka]

It`s my first growing season so let´s see if I can produce anything. I have virginia, cherry red, harrow velvet and canic growing. I have no idea if those can be blended or not.

 

[deluxestogie]

idea if those can be blended

Virginia, Virginia, burley, Oriental. Sounds like a good blend to me.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

Glyphoglossus molossus. Photo: Lim Khyhong

This burrowing frog (sometimes called the Balloon Frog) puffs up its body when it feels threatened. [Why does it look so happy?] Even its lower lip puffs up. It is native to drier areas of mainland Southeast Asia. [EXERCISE: Cover either the left half or right half of the Happy Frog's face. Switch to the other side. Notice that its two eyes are looking in entirely different directions. Maybe that's why it's happy. It gets the "bigger picture".]

Lights and burns well. Aroma profile is light and bright, with a moderate nicotine. There's a lot of nicotine there, if you choose to manipulate the pH to be more alkaline (by increasing the One Sucker). Pouch aroma is subdued.

For this blend, the pH balance is mostly determined by the VA Bright vs. the Dark Air-cured Cavendish. You may need to fiddle with those two to produce a bite-free blend. (My One Sucker Cavendish was cooked from ligero leaf.) This blend will probably not cause your lower lip to puff up like a balloon.

Happy Frog

• Virginia Bright 46.875% (7½ parts per 16)
• MD 609 CAVENDISH 28.125% (4½ parts per 16)
• One Sucker CAVENDISH 15.625% (2½ parts per 16)
• Trabzon CAVENDISH 9.375% (1½ parts per 16)

Balloon Frog

• Virginia Bright 46.875% (7½ parts per 16)
• Maryland CAVENDISH 28.125% (4½ parts per 16)
• Dark Air-Cured CAVENDISH 15.625% (2½ parts per 16)
• Oriental CAVENDISH 9.375% (1½ parts per 16)

Download 3½" hi-res label for Happy Frog as pdf.

Bob

 

[Homegrowngoodnes]

Happy frog is the name of a place that sells soft serve frozen yogurt!

 

[deluxestogie]

Photo: NASA

Holder of the Guinness World Record as the place with the highest concentration of lightning, South America's largest lake [Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo] receives an average of 233 flashes per square kilometer every year, according to NASA—thousands per night....There is no thunder, just lightning—a silent spectacle to be enjoyed about 300 nights per year, peaking in September.

Lake Maracaibo, lightning capital of the world

One firebolt after another illuminates a stilt-house settlement where the Catatumbo river flows into Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo, the lightning capital of the world.

phys.org

Pay no attention to the lightening bolts. How about those lovely, soft colors in the sky and water? As clearly indicated by the label, this pipe blend is for late in the day—or if you need a jolt early in the day. If you find that a bowl of Maracaibo is a little too stormy for you, then you can try it without the Perique, or with a bit less Habano Oscuro.

Maracaibo

• WLT Habano Oscuro Wrapper 25% (4 parts per 16)
• Virginia Bright Flue-Cured 25% (4 parts per 16)
• Maryland 609 18.75% (3 parts per 16)
• Izmir 18.75% (3 parts per 16)
• Flue-cured VA Red 6.25% (1 parts per 16)
• Perique 6.25% (1 part per 16)

Stormy Lake

• Cigar Leaf 25% (4 parts per 16)
• Flue-Cured 31.25% (5 parts per 16)
• Maryland or Burley 18.75% (3 parts per 16)
• Oriental 18.75% (3 parts per 16)
• Perique 6.25% (1 part per 16)

Download 3½" hi-res label for Maracaibo as pdf.

Bob