Toasted some Dark Air Cure Leaf. BIG Difference

[KroBar]

Hi, My first post (been lurking for quite some time). Thanks for having me. Joined so I could share this.
I toasted some Dark Air Cure (from WLT) and it REALLY brought out a lighter, brighter flavor profile.
Added some perfumey notes and cut WAY down on the Deep, Dark, Wet, Bitter notes. I was able to more distinctly taste some cocoa too.
I cooked it in the oven at °F260 for 10 minutes (the smell was amazing). brought it to a useable case with water.
I mixed a little 1:1 DAC : Dark Fire, shredded it, put it back in the oven for a minute or 2 (just a little more crumbly and dry than I like ), packed it in my pipe, and smoked it.
Fantastic! Sweet. Would make an excellent and strong cigarette (I'm a month and a half from my last one, so I'll hold off on trying that for a bit). I smoked Stokkebye Amsterdam Shag, and it had a lot of commonality.
I couldn't find any mention of toasting DAC after a fair bit of searching, and I just figured I'd try it.
Highly recommend giving it a try.
TBH, I'm not sure if it was the toasting, or the drying before smoking that made the biggest difference. Gonna test some more.

 

[deluxestogie]

Welcome to the forum. Feel free to introduce yourself in the Introduce Yourself forum. You may wish to scan the topics in our Index of Key Forum Threads, linked in the menu bar.

Bob

 

[Alpine]

Welcome to FTT

pier

 

[KroBar]

Welcome to the forum. Feel free to introduce yourself in the Introduce Yourself forum. You may wish to scan the topics in our Index of Key Forum Threads, linked in the menu bar.

Bob

Welcome to FTT

pier

Thanks!

 

[KroBar]

Alright, well dang. I tried some, just nice and dried out (but untoasted), just on the verge of being crumbly, half and half with some Dark Fired, and it once again was very smooth.
Gotta do some more comprehensive testing. Maybe just smoke some puro bowls.
If it's as simple as drying it out real well, no need to go to the trouble of toasting (although it does smell amazing).

 

[KroBar]

Hope this isn't too tedious, but I've been wondering how to remember 1 bowl from the next as I compare toasted DAC vs Regular.
Figured probably the best way is to write it down while I smoke.
Ok, Smoking a bowl of the Toasted WLT DAC. It was in Low case. Didn't crumble when I cut it up with scissors, but a little from scrunching it together.
I'm smoking slow and cool. It's got a lot of lemon and a little perfumey, clothes dryer (in a good way) taste to it. Not getting any of that oppressive Dark, wet, burnt taste.
Maybe a hint of cocoa / nuttiness, down about halfway, and a little piney Green walnut fruit.
Now about 3/4 of the way through, Still strongly lemony, and a similar piney Lemon as to the smell when you break the green fruit shell on a walnut.
I'm calling it. I'll try to post up again tomorrow night with a rundown of the untoasted.

 

[KroBar]

Smoking a bowl of Untoasted DAC, Low case. Cracked when I folded it, but didn't break. Cut up well.
Approximately the same dryness as last night's bowl.
It's different immediately. Very peppery, with undertone of the Green Walnut Fruit. No lemon.
A little of that classic, bitter, wet wood, DAC flavor. I wonder if that's tannins? Do they burn off when you toast it?
It's harsher. Getting a little salty cocoa as I get down 1/3 of the way.
Getting down about halfway and it's getting a little sweeter. It's mellowed out a little and lost most of the pepper.
Still Green walnut fruit, with maybe a little pear mixed in.
Unexpected, the last light, few puffs, I got a hit of sweet Brut deodorant flavor (in a good way).
These smokes were significantly different. This is interesting. I might continue testing. Both of these were smoked out of different pipes.
I wouldn't take any of this as conclusive, just one dummy smoking 2 bowls worth, on different nights.

 

[KroBar]

More experiments! Got hold of several Different kinds of DAC.
Tried some variety of DAC PA Broadleaf today. STRONG Cocoa smell after toasting.
Smoked a bowl of untoasted this afternoon. It was wetter than I would have liked, but I thought it was within the margins of dryness.
It was several hours ago, so my memory isn't crisp, but it was dark, a little overpowering, and more 1 dimensional than either of the last 2 bowls.
Smoking a toasted bowl now. About the same moisture. Still a little springy, but not too far from crumbly.
Lemon, terpenes, Yum! Got some distinct cocoa near the last 1/3.
I'm not totally convinced that this afternoon's pipeful wasn't too wet, so I'll give it another try, with a little better control (I was rushing around doing other stuff), to doublecheck.
I can say for certain the toasted was delicious!
Same method of toasting : °F260 for 10 minutes
Same cob pipe, cooled and cleaned in between.

 

[KroBar]

Got a bowl of Glasgow Magistrate (still <3 you WLT, just placed an order with you last week!) UnToasted DAC (another DAC from PA).
It's wetter still (just a hair) than the last couple, still low case, just no crackling, crumbling noises.
Started out Cigar like, and Very nutty, then within about 10 - 20 puffs it mellowed out and turned very sweet; a bare hint of the perfumey, solvent, terpene taste(in a good way), but more dryer sheets and raisins / prunes / black currant (again, in a good way) with a little bit of coffee.
I think it dried out from the ember.
Strong nic hit.
Down near the bottom of the bowl, Still very sweet, there's something I can't quite put my finger on. Almost woody... Cinnamon toast!
It's not hot like cinnamon, it's sweet and slighlty spiced, like buttered cinnamon toast.
And that's how it finished.
Gonna let my pipe cool (a cob again), clean it, and try it toasted.

 

[KroBar]

Toasted Glasgow Magistrate : On First light I'm getting Marzapan / sweet melted plastic / Almond extract, totally surprising.
After a few puffs, very sweet, almost fruity, maraschino Cherries and Pineapple, muted terpenes that are getting stronger (the perfumey green walnut smell flavor), a little pine.
A few minutes more and I'm getting chocolate cherries and a little wood / nuttiness.
At this point, I'm pretty well convinced that the toasting really does make a HUGE difference on these DACs.
It really brightens them up and unlocks these flowery, solventy flavors..
It's honestly surprising that I can't find more online about toasting Dark Air Cured Leafs.
I tried toasting some WLT Burley, and I prefer it untoasted. It gives a lot of the same sort of sweet VOC type flavors.
1/4 of the way down and I'm getting a little pepper and Cola.
'Bout halfway done, TBC... Will finish tomorrow!

 

[Juxtaposer-]

Thank you for posting! I tried it and I love it! -260*for 10’’- with WLT DAC. It is so easy to do and the results are amazing. I plan on toasting the PA binder next. I’m looking forward to having these as blending components to have on hand for my pipe tobacco projects. Thanks again for bringing this processing method up.

 

[KroBar]

Thank you for posting! I tried it and I love it! -260*for 10’’- with WLT DAC. It is so easy to do and the results are amazing. I plan on toasting the PA binder next. I’m looking forward to having these as blending components to have on hand for my pipe tobacco projects. Thanks again for bringing this processing method up.

Awesome!
Glad you tried it, and thanks for posting about it!
I've found it works great for plugs and twists that contain DAC too.
A little too cigar-ey? Pop it in the oven for 10 minutes.
Smoothes it out, sweetens it up, and really brightens it.
So I don't have to always plan ahead to toast first, then twist / press.
Doesn't have to be puro either.
Didn't seem to diminish blends with Virginia, Light Fired, or Dark Fired the same way it would if I toasted them individually (at least with the Fire Cured, obviously Virginia is great toasted).
Haven't tried with anything else in the blend.