Pure Tobacco Pipe Blends You Can Make

[greenmonster714]

Alp, it's good to have you signed on here at ftt. If you'd like a small introduction into growing tobacco you could get a few 5gal buckets and plant some Little Dutch. They are typically a small plant and I've seen many folks grow them in containers with successful results. But if that's not an option there are many other avenues you can take.

I understand your views of the other forums/FB pages. Many pipe smokers do not nor ever will grow tobacco. They are content with commercial products and seek nothing more. I've seen videos where folks give reviews on blends and some are rather upity if that's even a word. They often remind me of the wine testing reviews..lol. Anyways, I watched this one guy do a review and what could have taken one minute to describe was stretched out to ten plus. The guy would gaze off into the sky . Say a few words..take a puff or two...then gaze off in another direction...wash rinse repeat. I thought it was a bit much and way to relaxed for me..lol. I call smokers like that Posers. Look at how good I look smoking this pipe...you know what I mean I'm sure you've seen it before.

I've been doing the pipe gig for a few years now. Started on aromatic blends and then after gathering some leaf I made some of my own. Big difference between commercial and home blended stuff. It's amazing how just blending a few different varieties without all of the flavored casings can be a fantastic new experience. One that will change your mind about tobacco.

Today I wander between both worlds. There are some aros, plugs, twists, or flakes that I still love and I'm still finding more I like all the time. Those bulk sales at vendors like smokingpipes and pipesandcigars are a great way to sample tobaccos I've not tried. For me to say I'll never go back to commercial blends would be like shorting myself from having new experiences. I do love pure blends but there's a big tobacco world out there..lol.

Some of the blends Bob has posted will be blended by me when I get ahold of some latakia. I do love the latakia. Moreso from Syria but that is getting hard to find these days. I don't know how much leaf you've accumulated yet for blending but get as many different varieties as you can. WLT and Butcher Farms (BigBonner) have everything you'll need. Both are excellent.

No matter what paths you take it will be a pleasure to read about your experiences with tobacco. You are correct about FTT. This is the ultimate tobacco site. It covers all aspects of tobacco from start to finish and it is loaded with helpful friendly folks that don't mind at all sharing what they know.

Once again, I'm glad you joined in on the fun. Enjoy the site, Jeff

 

[alPol05]

My temporary tobacco press. Believe me, there is a 50g bag of a tobacco blend underneath.

Wiktor.

PS. The books on philosophy are in the other room.

 

[Garlisk]

I whipped together a shoddy press and a shoddy blend. I'm pretty excited about looking through here and trying some tried and true recipes.

This one is 45/45/10 Red VA Tips, Lemon VA, and Latakia. I tried some right about cutting up the leaf and blending it and it was OK. A bit sharp, but OK. I can tell already that this will be an absolute blast making blends and crumble cakes and ropes etc, etc. Woooeeeee, I'm excited.

 

[alPol05]

I understand your views of the other forums/FB pages. Many pipe smokers do not nor ever will grow tobacco. They are content with commercial products and seek nothing more. I've seen videos where folks give reviews on blends and some are rather upity if that's even a word. They often remind me of the wine testing reviews..lol. Anyways, I watched this one guy do a review and what could have taken one minute to describe was stretched out to ten plus. The guy would gaze off into the sky . Say a few words..take a puff or two...then gaze off in another direction...wash rinse repeat. I thought it was a bit much and way to relaxed for me..lol. I call smokers like that Posers. Look at how good I look smoking this pipe...you know what I mean I'm sure you've seen it before.

Enjoy the site, Jeff

Jeff,
Thanks for your comments. I was LOL at your comment I quoted above. There is a word uppity, you just misspelled it a bit. Here are some synonyms: arrogant, snobbish, hoity-toity, snooty, pretentious, bumptious, full of oneself, puffed up, conceited, pompous, self-assertive, overbearing, cocky. Your comment reminded me a video I watched on smokingpipes.com the other day. These guys are definitely uppity boys. I remember days when guys who smoked pipe were nice dresses, had a presence and could speak correctly. Now... well, you know what I mean.

I have a full supply of tobaccos, some from WLT and some from commercial retailers. I am simply fascinated with a small discovery that I made some time ago - the tobacco has its own taste, and different variety has even more taste, aroma, and effect. Of course, all people here know that, but I was killing my sense of taste and smell with cigarettes for 50 years, so this is my small, private discovery. I am excited and glad about that discovery and with time will be smoking tobacco made only from pure leaves. The other aspect of this venture is smoking my own blends. Bob gave me a lot to work with. Recently I am learning that even small changes in a recipe can be detected and this is fascinating to me.
Thanks again for the comments and keep in touch. You can call me Wiktor.


Best, Wiktor

 

[deluxestogie]

Recently I am learning that even small changes in a recipe can be detected and this is fascinating to me.

I agree, Wiktor. I was initially surprised that a mere 5% component of a single ingredient could make an easily noticeable difference. But it can be dramatic.

Bob

 

[alPol05]

Hi all,

I am looking for a recipe that can produce a blend similar to Dunhill's Early Morning Pipe. It seems to me that I have seen something like that here, but I can't find it.

Thanks,
Wiktor

 

[Jitterbugdude]

Wiktor, That might take a little bit of work. Early Morning Pipe contains Bright and Red Virginias with Turkish tobaccos that have been stoved, then a small amount of Lat has been added. If I were to attempt this I'd try: Red Virginia 20%, Bright Virginia 40%, Turkish 30%. I'd then stove them or use Chinavoodoo's method via the pressure cooker for maybe 30 minutes or so (this should yield a slightly stoved" affect). After the tobacco cools I'd add maybe 5% Lat.

Tough to come up with a recipe because all commercial tobaccos have sauces added to them.

good luck

 

[alPol05]

If I were to attempt this I'd try: Red Virginia 20%, Bright Virginia 40%, Turkish 30%. I'd then stove them or use Chinavoodoo's method via the pressure cooker for maybe 30 minutes or so (this should yield a slightly stoved effect). After the tobacco cools I'd add maybe 5% Lat.
Tough to come up with a recipe because all commercial tobaccos have sauces added to them. good luck

Jitterbugdude,

Yah... I have their general content printed from P&C, so I am familiar with it in general. Your suggestion will get me started. I am not sure how I will go about stoving, but I will figure it out. I found the Early Morning Pipe very close to what I would like to smoke from Virginia department. It is mellow and smokes it several times a day.

Thanks,
Wiktor

 

[deluxestogie]

I have zero inside information on the now-extinct Dunhill blends, other than gut impression from smoking a fair amount of it in the past. My impression for years has been that Nightcap contained about 50% Latakia and heavy on the Red Virginia, whereas Early Morning Pipe was predominantly Lemon Virginia, and about 25% Latakia--which is considerably lighter than the 30-38% Latakia of Balkan Sobranie Smoking Mixture ("White"). My suggestion would be to start with the "Smyrna Bright" recipe (from the matrix), and adjust it from there, maybe without the Dark Air. I would go with the mildest, lightest Oriental you can find.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

I have zero inside information on the now-extinct Dunhill blends, other than gut impression from smoking a fair amount of it in the past. My impression for years has been that Nightcap contained about 50% Latakia and heavy on the Red Virginia, whereas Early Morning Pipe was predominantly Lemon Virginia, and about 25% Latakia--which is considerably lighter than the 30-38% Latakia of Balkan Sobranie Smoking Mixture ("White"). My suggestion would be to start with the "Smyrna Bright" recipe (from the matrix), and adjust it from there, maybe without the Dark Air. I would go with the mildest, lightest Oriental you can find.

Bob

EDIT: For stoving, as JBD suggests, you can bring it into case, and put it into a sealed canning jar. Then pressure cook it for a short time.

 

[alPol05]

Bob,

Thanks much for your input as well. I will try these combinations and post the results when I am ready.

Wiktor

 

[deluxestogie]

Maryland Tobacco for Pipe Blending

If you scour the descriptions of pipe blends, you will seldom if ever see Maryland listed as an ingredient.

"Maryland" is a USDA class of tobacco that was likely derived originally from what we consider today as Pennsylvania Broadleaf varieties, though the centuries-old direction of that development may have been from Maryland to Pennsylvania. The class includes "numbered' varieties, such as MD A30, MD 201 and MD 609, as well as named varieties, such as Catterton, Keller, Pennbel and Thompson. The leaves, like broadleaf, are usually quite large. Maryland is air-cured.

Maryland tobacco as a group, tends to have medium nicotine levels, but its pH is high enough to enhance nicotine absorption from the mouth and nasopharynx. Its aroma is usually a soft, mild, non-specific "tobacco" smell. Although I have used it as a wrapper or in filler for cigars, Maryland does not smell like cigar tobacco--just tobacco. One common characteristic of the class is its ability to soak up and hold casings. It is this quality that makes it commercially interesting for cigarette and pipe blending.

I generally don't apply flavorants or other casings to my pipe blends. Instead, I have found Maryland to be useful as a base for blending. It does not reduce the nicotine content of a blend, and offers a higher pH that is helpful in countering the acidic tongue bite of flue-cured components. Smoking straight Maryland in a pipe reveals a soft, enjoyable, "natural tobacco" aroma, but a whopping nicotine dose--because of the higher pH. It lacks the powerful and distinctive flavor of a burley. The addition of Lemon Virginia to Maryland reduces the nicotine absorption by lowering the pH, while broadening the flavor profile. I suggest using the simple recipe below as a starting point for exploring more complex blends of Maryland. It is smooth, unobtrusive, and has a moderate nicotine strength.

Harpers Ferry

• Maryland 609: 2/3
• Lemon Virginia: 1/3

Bob

 

[greenmonster714]

Very nice looking blend Bob. Easy recipe to follow. I have both of those leaves. I may have to give that a try.

 

[deluxestogie]

Very nice looking blend Bob. Easy recipe to follow. I have both of those leaves. I may have to give that a try.

If you do make it, I would appreciate your posting your impressions. It's heartier than most of my blends, and I would probably wimp it down a bit (maybe with an Oriental) for a regular smoke for myself.

Bob

 

[greenmonster714]

If you do make it, I would appreciate your posting your impressions. It's heartier than most of my blends, and I would probably wimp it down a bit (maybe with an Oriental) for a regular smoke for myself.

Bob

Certainly will Bob. Is this a blend that should rest for a while or good to go right into the fire. I've found that once I let that Thor's Hammer rest for a few weeks it got much better.

 

[deluxestogie]

Try it both ways.

Bob

 

[alPol05]

Here is what happened to my blend:


I placed this blend into a jar and started cooking the jar in the pot. I was planning to do it for 45 min. The goal was to knock off the edges and accelerate melding.

I had my alarm timer set and lay down on the couch and watched the news. Soon I was asleep. Didn't hear my alarm ringing and slept for about 3 hours.

When I went to the kitchen, I knew I blew it. After cooling and a bit of drying I smoked this thing. It is smokable, but I don’t know what is it that I am smoking. No recognizable tobacco. The taste is ok… but I can’t identify it.

What do I have here?

Wiktor

 

[deluxestogie]

What do I have here?

Cavendish.

Bob

 

[alPol05]

Cavendish.

Bob

LMAO... Oh my... I think I'll just go into cavendish production. Will be taking orders soon!

Wiktor

 

[greenmonster714]

That does look pretty nice. What blend was that before you cooked it? Did it change the flavor? Meld together like you planned?