I know added sugar can reek havoc on your tongue. The addition of honey is a signature of Danish blends (such as Mac Baren). Although I enjoy some Danish blends, they give me tongue bite regardless of my smoking cadence. Some of this is attributed to the humectant as well. For pipe smoking, I de-stem the flue cured bright leaf and place it in a mesh sieve. I place it above a large pot of boiling water and steam it for an hour or two (whenever the leaf reaches a dark brown color). Then I put the leaf on a tray and let it air dry. After shredding it with a hand crank shredder (gives a wider ribbon size that a cigarette shredder), I store it in large snap-lock jars with a rubber gasket. After a month in a jar, it is good for smoking. This results in a much smoother smoke. The only problem is that the smoke is somewhat one-dimensional - a bit sweet with a slight raisin flavor. It is not what I would call full-flavored, like Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake or the original Rattray's Marlin Flake. But I think that part of the problem is that the condensation from steaming rinses away some of the flavor and other constituents into to the pot of boiling water (the water is brown). I will steam it again, but this time I will put the leaf in a small press. This will avoid water coming in contact with the tobacco thereby locking in the flavor constituents.
I know that toasting makes a big difference also. I toast my flue cured very lightly for cigarette smoking.
I began to research the Web this evening and found that many of my favorite Virginia blends are processed (by heat in some fashion). Also, many of these blends contain a small amount of Perique and I was not even aware of it. Marlin Flake (produced by Charles Rattray, not for Charles Rattray - there is a big difference) is one example. I do not pick up on the peppery Perique in Marlin Flake as I do with Escudo. I have a small one ounce jar of Jewel of St. James - the Perique from Louisiana. I have not opened it yet. I think I will give it a try and add it to some flue cured and see if it makes a difference. I always thought that Perique was more of a condiment tobacco like Latakia, but I have been reading a few posts and it seems as if Perique has a dual purpose: one is for its black peppery taste and two as a way of balancing the acidity generated by the combustion of sugars - one of the likely causes of tongue bite. I think the trick is finding the correct ratio of Perique to Virginia. I want to add enough to serve its purpose, but not so much that it would significantly alter the flavor of the blend. I enjoy VaPers, but that's not what I am aiming for. The old Marlin Flake (that is, before the new proprietors ruined it) was among my favorites. That's where I am headed.
