Blending Experiment

[Desertlifter]

Blending stuff is fun. More so with a good mentor - great work, gentlemen!

[NeverBend]

Blending notes:

I've added Stokkebye Perique, Stokkebye Latakia, Eastern Carolina Ribbon with Stokkebye Kentucky Dark Fired on backorder.

Taste:
When we refer to sweet, in tobacco or foods, are we saying sweet, like sugar, or sweet like squash? Similarly is a food spicy like chili, cardamom or thyme? Each class of tobacco, Virginia, Orientals, Burleys, etc., may have these characteristics in similarly different ways. Virginia can range from sugar to molasses or even squash like sweetness. Orientals range from brightly to subtly spiced. Perhaps a good topic to examine in this thread as we go forward.

General notes about Varietals versus Blends:
This equates very closely to wines where one may be a combination of grape types while another use a single specific grape. A varietal is a single type of leaf. A blend a combination leaf of similar type. In general I buy and use varietals. If they're good, their characteristics are more tractable and they impart specific qualities to a blend. Blends contain a range of quality that becomes an average. If there are bad crops then the blend may be better but as long as the quality of the varietals are good I tend to prefer them but I do use some blends.

General notes on Stokkebye:
You're familiar with this manufacturer, prevalent in the industry. Their flakes are good value but my blending interest is in their mixtures (ribbon cut tobaccos) that I feel have too fine a cut for my tastes and desires. Their blending components are also a fine ribbon cut (compared to C&D Red Ribbon Virginia for example) but when selected for purpose the quality of their tobacco, that I've received, has bee good.

Stokkebye Macedonian:
I was surprised by the potency of this varietal. It's useful in small quantities to increase body, spice and a sour/bitter nuance. Too much will take over a mixture and it will become aggressive. The quality of the leaf is good. This tobacco highlights the differences between suppliers and perhaps the mislabeling of some components as other Macedonians (at any price) haven't been similar in quality or characteristics and none as potent.

Stokkebye Perique:
I've had it a short time but it's the best Perique that I've found (see notes above about lack of consistency across suppliers). Short story is that the original St. James Perique is no longer made. St. James was far more potent and, in my opinion, far superior. C&D Exclusive claims to use 50% Perique, an amount that would have been unsmokable for almost anyone if it had been made with the original St. James. Classic Perique mixtures, like Rattray's Red Rapparee were made with less than 10% St. James. Perique was noted for bringing a rich fruity sweetness with a lot of spice but that's diminished with what's available today. I've used the Stokkebye Perique up to 20% in test mixtures but it seems best in a supporting role at 10% or a little less where it enhances and spices but isn't forward.

Stokkebye Latakia:
Doesn't smell or smoke like it was processed with tar. Thinner cut and not as smokey as other Latakia that we use. I don't have experience with this component yet but in a couple of test mixtures it's a bit harder to mix but more evenly distributes with less settling. More as I use it.

Stokkebye Kentucky Dark Fired:
I like our Dark Fired that's a string cut (very thin) and I suspect that it's made by Stokkebye. If it is then we have more and if not it may present an alternative. The other Stokkebye blenders have been good quality.

Eastern Carolina Ribbon:
There was a time when Carolina was the king of tobacco, richer and more deeply sweet than Virginia. 35 years ago Carolina was defined as New, Middle and Old Belt. This Eastern Carolina (New Belt?) is very light and inoffensive but too bland to be more than a filler or diluting component. Wish I'd have ordered an ounce to try it but I was excited to try one of today's Carolinas.

[droy1958]

Blending notes:

I've added Stokkebye Perique, Stokkebye Latakia, Eastern Carolina Ribbon with Stokkebye Kentucky Dark Fired on backorder.

Taste:
When we refer to sweet, in tobacco or foods, are we saying sweet, like sugar, or sweet like squash? Similarly is a food spicy like chili, cardamom or thyme? Each class of tobacco, Virginia, Orientals, Burleys, etc., may have these characteristics in similarly different ways. Virginia can range from sugar to molasses or even squash like sweetness. Orientals range from brightly to subtly spiced. Perhaps a good topic to examine in this thread as we go forward.

General notes about Varietals versus Blends:
This equates very closely to wines where one may be a combination of grape types while another use a single specific grape. A varietal is a single type of leaf. A blend a combination leaf of similar type. In general I buy and use varietals. If they're good, their characteristics are more tractable and they impart specific qualities to a blend. Blends contain a range of quality that becomes an average. If there are bad crops then the blend may be better but as long as the quality of the varietals are good I tend to prefer them but I do use some blends.

General notes on Stokkebye:
You're familiar with this manufacturer, prevalent in the industry. Their flakes are good value but my blending interest is in their mixtures (ribbon cut tobaccos) that I feel have too fine a cut for my tastes and desires. Their blending components are also a fine ribbon cut (compared to C&D Red Ribbon Virginia for example) but when selected for purpose the quality of their tobacco, that I've received, has bee good.

Stokkebye Macedonian:
I was surprised by the potency of this varietal. It's useful in small quantities to increase body, spice and a sour/bitter nuance. Too much will take over a mixture and it will become aggressive. The quality of the leaf is good. This tobacco highlights the differences between suppliers and perhaps the mislabeling of some components as other Macedonians (at any price) haven't been similar in quality or characteristics and none as potent.

Stokkebye Perique:
I've had it a short time but it's the best Perique that I've found (see notes above about lack of consistency across suppliers). Short story is that the original St. James Perique is no longer made. St. James was far more potent and, in my opinion, far superior. C&D Exclusive claims to use 50% Perique, an amount that would have been unsmokable for almost anyone if it had been made with the original St. James. Classic Perique mixtures, like Rattray's Red Rapparee were made with less than 10% St. James. Perique was noted for bringing a rich fruity sweetness with a lot of spice but that's diminished with what's available today. I've used the Stokkebye Perique up to 20% in test mixtures but it seems best in a supporting role at 10% or a little less where it enhances and spices but isn't forward.

Stokkebye Latakia:
Doesn't smell or smoke like it was processed with tar. Thinner cut and not as smokey as other Latakia that we use. I don't have experience with this component yet but in a couple of test mixtures it's a bit harder to mix but more evenly distributes with less settling. More as I use it.

Stokkebye Kentucky Dark Fired:
I like our Dark Fired that's a string cut (very thin) and I suspect that it's made by Stokkebye. If it is then we have more and if not it may present an alternative. The other Stokkebye blenders have been good quality.

Eastern Carolina Ribbon:
There was a time when Carolina was the king of tobacco, richer and more deeply sweet than Virginia. 35 years ago Carolina was defined as New, Middle and Old Belt. This Eastern Carolina (New Belt?) is very light and inoffensive but too bland to be more than a filler or diluting component. Wish I'd have ordered an ounce to try it but I was excited to try one of today's Carolinas.

I have so much to learn about pipe tobacco..I'm still trying to learn to pack a bowl properly right now.....