OK, so as most of you know, I'm an aromatic smoker, but I've been experimenting with adding a pinch (or two) of an English/Latakia blend (Nightcap, Lagonda, or Balkan Sasieni) to bowls of various aromatic blends. Then @pwkarch started to mix even more English into his mixtures.
Today, I tried for something a bit more unexpected: 25% Barbados Plantation, 25% Panna Cotta, 25% Eastfarthing, and 25% (almost all of my dwindling supply of) Frog Morton's Cellar. I gotta tell you, it was interesting. Grey/white ash, very little dottle, a tasty smoke that I could both taste and enjoy the aroma (outdoor room note, if that makes any sense), and no bite. Delicious and very different (for me, at least....).
Up until now, my frankenblend melange has been a large canning jar of BCA, VBC, RLP-6, Barbados Plantation and.... a three finger and thumb (large) pinch of Nightcap. The Latakia seems to bring something out of (or add something really nice to) the aromatics.
I'm also re-charging the barrel stave cube from the FMC, for a second time, using Jonah's Curse Black Spiced Rum, instead of the original whiskey. The first time I tried it, I soaked the cube for about a week, and thenI buried it in two ounces of EA Carey Revolution Tabac for about another week. It definitely added a rum flavor to the aro blend that already has a bit of Latakia in it, without gooping the tobacco. This time, I'm gonna bury it in about two ounces of Jolly Old Saint Nicholas. I'll report back.
(BTW, I know full well that I sound fairly nutz.....)
@motie2 Nothing sounds nutz ... as long as you're having fun in the process. Even when I make a blend that absolutely sucks, I set it aside in a jar marked "Abnormal Brain" and let it age. Then from time-to-time I'll add a pinch or two from my failed experiment and add it to some new concoction. And low and behold I've created something smokable once more. It may not be anything to brag about or highly recommend - but at least I could smoke it without retching. Before you know it my "Abnormal Brain" jar is empty once more. So nothing goes to waste in my house when it comes to tobacco. I'll find some way to make use of it - even if I have to ruin a perfectly good blend in the process.
What is your favorite aromatic, bulk or tinned, whatever?
Mine has been Barbados Plantation since 2016, with VBC and RLP-6 from time to time, but I've been dipping into English aromatics, like Sutliff Eastfarthing, and the late, lamented FMC. (The siren call of a little Latakia.....)
Mine are toss-ups between Rattray's Exotic Orange, Dan Tobacco's Devil's Holiday, Planta Anno MMXV "Brazilian Mixture", and Vauen "Black Pepper". Interesting...three are made in Germany, and the Planta is from Denmark, for a second there, I thought they might all come from Germany. They are all kind of hard to get so I don't smoke them as much as I would if I had a never-ending supply. Those with never-ending supplies...so far....are Lane Limited "BCA", "RLP-6", and Panama Jack "Key Lime".
@mapletop -- please tell me a little about the HGL.
@RockyMountainBriar -- Is the Exotic Orange (aka Exotic Passion???) really as good as @PappyJoe has been telling us? I'm certainly not questioning his judgement, but I've always thought of orange as a far outlier in pipe tobacco "flavoring"; way out, but imaginative and intriguing. [Not that it's available ......]
@motie2 Yes. Just smoked a tin. Almost as good as Exotic Orange. Go ahead and ask someone else to verify my opinion. Try @ghostsofpompeii I sent him samples of both to try about a month or so ago.
If I’ve somehow given offense, I sincerely apologize. I hold your opinions in high esteem, but tastes do vary. ‘Twould only be prudent to seek another’s opinion, especially with a blend so difficult to acquire.
@motie2 Regarding Lane HGL It an English aromatic, Its equivalent to a light to medium English, there's latakia but its not a Lat bomb.
The toppings appears to be caramel and a little vanilla but don't quote me on that as I have a very hard time distinguishing flavors in aromatics unless they are distinct like butterscotch or whiskey
P&C's discription:
Lane Limited HGL is a mixture of black Cavendish laced with smoky
Latakia blended with mellow white Burley and golden Virginia to produce a
sweet, fuller-bodied smoke, that is still cool and slow burning. This
was purported to be the personal blend of Herman G. Lane,(HGL) the man who
made Lane Limited what it is today.
@motie2 I rank "Exotic Orange" as my number one aromatic for me so far. I can't bring myself to call it "Exotic Passion", and it is suppose to
be the same, but I have not smoked any of the "Exotic Passion"...yet. I have not been able to acquire many tins...two to be exact...and I am on the notify list. Damn time zones..last time I was sent the heads up it was at 8AM Eastern, heck I get up for work at 6:20 AM and I still missed out. Back on the list again. I think I have missed it four or five times at least. I have thought about the Holger Danske, but most reviews/comments say it is pale in comparison?
NO WAIT...IT SUCKS BAD @motie2......you would hate it.....so would everybody else that is reading this....too late, now you all know. It's like giving up a secret fish'in hole.
This is perhaps a silly question: is it advisable, I guess I really mean safe, to try to flavor tobacco after purchase. Specifically I’m a big fan of vanilla flavor. Sometimes the variety I get seem weak. Could I add a couple drops of real vanilla extract to the jar and actually expect a good result?
Using food grade flavorings can't hurt, but the flavoring must be applied/added in a way that spreads it out evenly through the tobacco in question. I have applied vanilla extract and spiced rum to good effect in the past.
I've had mixed results when creating my own blends using food grade flavoring. On two occasions I struck gold with my "Root Beer Float" and "Dreamsickle" blends. Both using a variety of Watkins food grade flavoring. Use too much and you have a sticky mess that takes quite a bit of drying time before you can smoke it. And as @motie2 suggests, you need to make sure to spread it out well for even distribution. Then let it set for a week or two in an airtight Tupperware container for the infusion to work it's magic.
This is usually a trial and error procedure that may take several applications of product before you hit that Goldilocks Zone. So in the end it's almost impossible to duplicate the recipe unless you take detailed notes. I'm always adding a bit more of this or that until I get exactly what I want. And by that time I'm not really sure how much of each product I finally added to make it right. I've even included honey and sprinkled spices like clove, cinnamon and nutmeg into an experimental blend. One of these days I'll probably poison myself in the process. But these little experiments are just another fun aspect of the hobby.
I've even stored an OTC straight Burly blend like Carter Hall in an air tight container that once housed Earl Grey loose tea, and as a result the tobacco was slightly infused a hint of bergamot, adding to the flavor of the Carter Hall.
So slip into a lab coat and try a few experiments. Can't do too much damage if you begin your experimentation with cheap drug store or gas station packaged blends like Gambler, Jester, 4 Aces, Largo, Smoker's Pride or even Carter Hall. Preferably a non-aromatic burly that's not already heavily cased with artificial flavoring. Then get a few Watkins food grade flavoring like Vanilla, Chocolate, Caramel, Root Beer, Orange, Amaretto, or Anise - or what-ever strikes your fancy. Who knows what interesting Frankenstein blend of you might create?
@mapletop Thanks for the review.... Now I'm gonna have to get some and try it. @Texsqatch13 I have flavored several tobaccos with various forms bourbons and to evenly coat it I used a spritzing bottle. I wonder if this would work the same for food flavorings?
In honor of the Irish/Italian Day Parade in our small town, I loaded up my Peterson Fermoy with Cornell & Diehl Nutty Irishman. What about the Italian's you ask? The Nutty Irishman has Frangelico (an Italian liqueur) as a flavoring.
Comments
Casing - Flavoring added early in tobacco processing; primarily to add flavor to a blend.
Top Dressing - Flavoring added toward the end of processing; main purpose is to enhance room note ("aroma").
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSZNXlVtfbg-YEXPDJRf_aWF84GHSs4yT
Excellent showings by TPL favorites, Vanilla Custard, Creme Brûlée, BCA, and RLP-6
Today, I tried for something a bit more unexpected: 25% Barbados Plantation, 25% Panna Cotta, 25% Eastfarthing, and 25% (almost all of my dwindling supply of) Frog Morton's Cellar. I gotta tell you, it was interesting. Grey/white ash, very little dottle, a tasty smoke that I could both taste and enjoy the aroma (outdoor room note, if that makes any sense), and no bite. Delicious and very different (for me, at least....).
Up until now, my frankenblend melange has been a large canning jar of BCA, VBC, RLP-6, Barbados Plantation and.... a three finger and thumb (large) pinch of Nightcap. The Latakia seems to bring something out of (or add something really nice to) the aromatics.
I'm also re-charging the barrel stave cube from the FMC, for a second time, using Jonah's Curse Black Spiced Rum, instead of the original whiskey. The first time I tried it, I soaked the cube for about a week, and thenI buried it in two ounces of EA Carey Revolution Tabac for about another week. It definitely added a rum flavor to the aro blend that already has a bit of Latakia in it, without gooping the tobacco. This time, I'm gonna bury it in about two ounces of Jolly Old Saint Nicholas. I'll report back.
(BTW, I know full well that I sound fairly nutz.....)
Mine has been Barbados Plantation since 2016, with VBC and RLP-6 from time to time, but I've been dipping into English aromatics, like Sutliff Eastfarthing, and the late, lamented FMC. (The siren call of a little Latakia.....)
@RockyMountainBriar -- Is the Exotic Orange (aka Exotic Passion???) really as good as @PappyJoe has been telling us? I'm certainly not questioning his judgement, but I've always thought of orange as a far outlier in pipe tobacco "flavoring"; way out, but imaginative and intriguing. [Not that it's available ......]
I will not dignify your last comment with a response.
Are you familiar with this, less rare/more available, orange blend?
Holger Danske Original Orange Pipe Tobacco
Yes.
Just smoked a tin.
Almost as good as Exotic Orange.
Go ahead and ask someone else to verify my opinion.
Try @ghostsofpompeii I sent him samples of both to try about a month or so ago.
If I’ve somehow given offense, I sincerely apologize. I hold your opinions in high esteem, but tastes do vary. ‘Twould only be prudent to seek another’s opinion, especially with a blend so difficult to acquire.
Howzabout a review of the two orange blends?
I rank "Exotic Orange" as my number one aromatic for me so far. I can't bring myself to call it "Exotic Passion", and it is suppose to be the same, but I have not smoked any of the "Exotic Passion"...yet. I have not been able to acquire many tins...two to be exact...and I am on the notify list. Damn time zones..last time I was sent the heads up it was at 8AM Eastern, heck I get up for work at 6:20 AM and I still missed out. Back on the list again. I think I have missed it four or five times at least. I have thought about the Holger Danske, but most reviews/comments say it is pale in comparison?
NO WAIT...IT SUCKS BAD @motie2......you would hate it.....so would everybody else that is reading this....too late, now you all know. It's like giving up a secret fish'in hole.
Genius. Too late, but genius.
https://www.milantobacco.com/milanpipetobacco.htm
Using food grade flavorings can't hurt, but the flavoring must be applied/added in a way that spreads it out evenly through the tobacco in question. I have applied vanilla extract and spiced rum to good effect in the past.
@Texsqatch13 I have flavored several tobaccos with various forms bourbons and to evenly coat it I used a spritzing bottle. I wonder if this would work the same for food flavorings?
https://www.smokingpipes.com/smokingpipesblog/single.cfm/post/closer-look-aromatic-pipe-tobacco
https://www.smokingpipes.com/smokingpipesblog/single.cfm/post/closer-look-aromatic-pipe-tobacco
Capt. Black Orig. is (more or less) Lane Ltd. RLP-6
Captain Black Royal is (more or less) Lane Ltd 1-Q
Captain Black Dark is (more or less) Lane Ltd. BCA
Captain Black Copper is (more or less) Lane Ltd. LL-7
Opinions? Comments?