Mixing

pwkarch

Gentlemen

On the subject of mixing or blending (and yes he knows know this does not technically qualify as blending per se), I (and my alter ego) keep a list of my "experiments" in my master tobacco cellar "spreadsheet" (yes I know OCD right?). I have a list which I update every time I buy tobacco listing where it came from. what method of delivery, and all relevant information along with my scoring as to their taste, etc. I also keep track of my "cellared" tobaccos (once again, I know, OCD right?). In my defense I sometimes damn near forget where I live, so I need all of the help I can get. My problem is I am Irish / German, the German in me says "be organized, be demanding, be precise comrade" while the Irish DNA just wants me to drink Irish Whiskey. I don't get it (yes he does, I've explained it many times).

The following is a copy from my personal Tobacco Cellar "spreadsheet" (or just the result of his OCD therapy, whatever). I thought I would share it so perhaps some of you might want to try things I have already tried, or embellish on them as you see fit. Anything with a date I already tried and most have a quick comment attached. Anything that says "try" most without a date and of course lacking a comment I simply have not gotten around to trying yet (yeah because he is outside turning all of the acorns to point north). I have listed those not tried yet in italics.

I hope someone can get some benefit from this, and at minimum would comment on some of these i tried, or offer some additional suggestions.

I (and my alter ego) thank you, and hope that this is of interest to somebody...........



try Crème Brulee and Chocolate Mousse (50/50)                       recommended online comp. to Molto Dolce

Lane BCA and Lane Dark Red (50/50)               3.15,17 PWK…..excellent

Lane BCA and Lane 1Q  (50/50)                           3.17.17 PWK…..excellent  ***

3.20.17 try crème brulee and McClelland darkest chocolate

3.30.17 try Carter Hall and Lane 1-Q (50/50)                                                    recommended online

3.31.17 McClelland 403 darkest choc. And Carter Hall (50/50)…..VERY good, nuts & choc notes      4.15.17 very good, dottle

4.2.17  Carter Hall and Paladin Black Cherry (50/50) (in packed pipe overnight)…..good

try Lane 1Q/Molto Dolce (2:1)

try Lane 1Q / Dark Red (50/50)….or 1Q and Palladin or Cult BRM

try Stanwell Melange / Carter Hall (50/50)               recommended online

5.10.17  Paladin Black Cherry and Lane 1Q (50/50)….. so so, nothing spectacular

Carter Hall and Sutliff Vanilla Custard……4.11.17, 1st half little bite, 2nd half better……good

Carter Hall and Lane Dark Red 50/50…..4.12.17…..ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS

Lane Dark Red and Sutliff Van Custard 50/50 (dried 1 day)……excellent

try Lane BCA and Sutliff Vanilla Custard

try Lane Vanilla Black Cavendish and Sutliff Vanilla Custard

try BCA, Vanilla Custard and Nougat

try Sutliff Vanilla Custard and McClelland Creme Caramel……tried 4.24.17, blah, slightly bitey, I think Crème Caramel drowned out the Vanilla Custard

Carter Hall with a Pinch of Sutliff Vanilla Custard….absolutely delicious….10+…….smoked 5.1.17 Jarl Briar, Yellowbole Briar

10.1.17   3 parts Sutliff Vanilla Custard, 2 parts Sutliff Chocolate Mousse, 1 part Sutliff Crème Brulee, and a pinch of Sutliff Irish Crème (optional). Recommended by GhostofPompei on this pipe life online……name of Blend "Mrs. Hudsons 221B Bakery Blend"….recommended by Motie2 on  "this Pipe Life"......Good but not outstanding in my opinion....8

try: 60% 1Q, 20% Carter Hall, 20% BCA

6.26.17 tried Sutliff Barbados Plantation and Sutliff Vanilla Custard 50/50….okay but nthing spectacular….maybe an 8+ or so

7.30.17 tried Carter Hall, Sutliff Vanilla Custard, and Lane Dark Red 33/33/33…….very, very, very good…..a definate 10+

9.18.17 tried McClelland Darkest Chocolate. And Sutliff Vanilla Custard approx. 60%/40%.....maybe an 8, slight bite, fast smoke, some dottle

9.29.17  Sutliff Chocolate Mousse with Lane Dark Red  (50/50)…..good (8.5)……chocolate is predominent flavor @ 50/50 mixture

try Sutliff Chocolate Mousse with Palladin Black Cherry or Captain Black Cherry

try Sutliff Chocolate Mousse with Sutliff Vanilla Custard 

try Sutliff Chocolate Mousse with Sutliff Vanilla Custard and Carter hall

9.23.17 Sutliff Choc Mousse and Sutliff Barbados Plantation 50/50……OK, nothing great           2/3 CM and 1/3 BP much better

9.1.17 tried Sutliff Vanilla Custard and Lane Dark Red…very good, 2 favorable room note opinions, very good to taste especially the 2nd half of the bowl    9.5

try 1 part 1Q, 1 part BCA, 1/2 part Sutliff Vanilla Custard…….online called"Old Time Vanilla"

10.8.17 & 10.11.17    Sutliff Chocolate Mousse and Carter Hall 50/50……ABSOLUTELY DELISIOUS……10+++++

try 1-Q and BCA 50/50 (internet suggestion)

motie2

@pwkarch -- Exemplary work.

Oddjob27

@pwkarch AMAZING! Love this. Gives me direction and inspiration to works towards doing the same in cataloging my experiments as well.

pwkarch

But guys, don't let your alter egos influence your decisions (man am I crazy)

Kmhartle

@pwkarch Fantastic! Thanks! I've got a lot of those tobaccos in my cellar so I'll probably start trying some of these tomorrow. I really like Carter Hall and have a good supply of it. I notice a lot of your blends using Carter Hall have great results. Can't wait to start trying some of these. 

pwkarch

@Kmhartle
I LOVE Carter Hall, although I only smoke it by itself occasionally. Much like Prince Albert (and other Burleys) it is a no nonsense blend of good old American Burley. The fact that it has been around since almost caveman days speaks to its' popularity and merchantability. It is a very high quality blend that I think has been the same for years, kind of a tobacco icon.

The tobacco smoked by its' lonesome is wonderful. I always detect a nutty and cocoa flavor. Being Burley it does have some higher nicotine level, but nothing that can't be managed. Delightful smoke to say the least, and many recommend it or PA to "break in" a new pipe. Burley straight will tend to burn quick.

Because of the burley tobacco, it burns well, and makes for a nice smokey experience. This is where it comes to the top of the heap as I see it as a blending element. Very often when I get a tobacco which I like (almost always aromatics) they are often wet and rather "sticky" even after drying them out awhile. They often tend to burn hot, and produce all of the downside qualities of an aromatic. The addition of the CH (or PA I assume) seems to "dry" the smoke experience as well as add just a touch of the nutty and cocoa notes inherent to the CH.Again, I would assume PA would do much the same.

The interesting issue relative to mixing that I have found is that the slightest variation in the ratios make for a somewhat noticible taste difference. Significant variations in the ratios make large changes in the taste and aromas which I see as would be expected. So Carter Hall I think is a player to "adjust" a smoke. I don't use or even have a scale, I go by "pinches" from my jars.

To get a complete change of taste and aroma, I use two or more "pure" aromatics. For instance combining a Chocolate type tobacco with a Cherry type tobacco yields a "Chocolate Covered Cherry' note......adjusting the ratio dials the flavor and the aroma up or down. Same thing with Chocolate and Rum, or Chocolate and Vanilla. And if feeling it might be needed, or to again add a Nutty and/or cocoa element might add the CH as the third component.

 I start out usually with a 50/50 mix with 2 components or 33/33/33 mix with 3 components and then adjust from there on subsequent mixes if I basically liked the first go round.

So you see where I am going here. The combinations are endless limited only by imagination. And, if a combination makes you happy share it with your fellow pipers.

motie2

I can't wait until it stops raining so I can fire up a bowl of Sutliff's Edward G. Robinson, which was first sold in1946.... a codger OTC blend whose reviews intrigued me.