Can you say, "Middleton's Cherry" ... 🥵 The way I look at it, if you can get through a pouch of that stuff and still smoke a pipe, you were born to smoke a pipe...
We took up the challenge when Middleton discontinued its classic Cherry Blend pipe tobacco and requests for a match blend started rolling in. It's been a few months in the making, but "Our" Cherry Blend is now ready for the front page with its light, mild aromatic blending of Virginias and coarse cut Burleys. Though it does not impart nearly as much cherry flavor as its name suggests, this is still a zesty fan favorite with a light, pleasant room note that you'll enjoy all day long. https://www.milantobacco.com/milanpipetobacco.htm#CherryBlend
Size: One Ounce Availability: In Stock Price: $3.95 USD
Speaking of Middleton's Cherry Blend, I agree it bites like a cobra.
Back story ~ My uncle smoked Middleton's Cherry Blend religiously. I never saw him smoke any other brand. He was my inspiration for picking up pipe smoking. In the late 1970's my dad gave up cigarettes and briefly smoked pipe before giving up smoking all together. Following suit of my uncle, dad smoked MCB too. Dad passed away in 2002.
Last year when I was back in Pennsylvania visiting my mom, I discovered Dad's old pipe rack. A typical 70's design meant to look like books with spaces for 6 pipes, 3 on each side. She offered it to me and I accepted it and brought it home to Kansas where it has sat on my tobacco table. The lid opens to a tobacco humidor which was filled with tobacco. I'm quite confident that it's MCB, although it's as dry as a popcorn fart.
Today I finally decided to take a few ounces out and re-humidify it. I'm curious to see if 40 years has taken any of the venom out of the bite.
I don't remember the worst, but the first was MacBaren's Virginia No. 1. I tried some other MacBaren tins with the same result and moved on to bulk blends settling on Black and Gold (1Q).
Is there a way to take Cherry Blend, Half & Half, Mixture 79, Flying Dutchman or any of the other tobaccos we have cited and add something too or treat them with something that will cause them to bite less? I kind of know it is a dumb question, but it needs to be asked.
@opipeman ~ Not a dumb question at all. I've cut blends with Cavendish or Burley (Carter Hall) to "soften the bite". Well, except for Mixture 79. The only thing I've found to improve that blend is the garbage can.
@Kmhartle; Great suggestion and I am in total agreement on Mixture 79. One of the best ways I have found to reduce tongue bite is to dry the tobac out some. I don't know if that works on all blends, but it has worked for me. I have never tried Carter Hall as a mixer. Does it impact the flavor of the biter tobac?
IMHO My 1st try is to 50/50 with Lane BCA. If it helps. I will then experiment with the ratio to bring out as much of the original blend while keeping tongue bite to a minimum...
I've also found Carter Hall to be the perfect blending tobacco when you're trying to tamp down either the tongue bit - or a cherry blend that's over-the-top in artificial flavoring ... like Captain Black Cherry. A little Carter Hall can smooth out the cherry flavor so it's not so dominant. It's actually the only way I can smoke Captain Black Cherry.
@PappyJoe After 50+ years of pipe smoking, you think you know most of the answers and you do know a lot. But, pose a question to your brothers on "This pipe Life" and you find you still have a lot to learn. My thanks to you and several others.
Middleton Cherry was my dad's favorite. Now I know why he only smoked on the weekends. He needed time for his tongue to heal! The fantastic room note is the only good thing I can say about it!
@bbrown626 The room note was what caused my new bride(some 55 years ago) to encourage me to smoke the blend. It was an affront to my manhood to have to admit I just couldn't continue until the tin was gone. My tongue survived along with my memory of a horrible smoking experience. As PappyJoe says "Every pipe smoker's palate is different and no blend is the same for everyone."
Comments
The way I look at it, if you can get through a pouch of that stuff and still smoke a pipe, you were born to smoke a pipe...
We took up the challenge when Middleton discontinued its classic Cherry Blend pipe tobacco and requests for a match blend started rolling in. It's been a few months in the making, but "Our" Cherry Blend is now ready for the front page with its light, mild aromatic blending of Virginias and coarse cut Burleys. Though it does not impart nearly as much cherry flavor as its name suggests, this is still a zesty fan favorite with a light, pleasant room note that you'll enjoy all day long.
https://www.milantobacco.com/milanpipetobacco.htm#CherryBlend
Availability: In Stock
Price: $3.95 USD
Back story ~ My uncle smoked Middleton's Cherry Blend religiously. I never saw him smoke any other brand. He was my inspiration for picking up pipe smoking. In the late 1970's my dad gave up cigarettes and briefly smoked pipe before giving up smoking all together. Following suit of my uncle, dad smoked MCB too. Dad passed away in 2002.
Last year when I was back in Pennsylvania visiting my mom, I discovered Dad's old pipe rack. A typical 70's design meant to look like books with spaces for 6 pipes, 3 on each side. She offered it to me and I accepted it and brought it home to Kansas where it has sat on my tobacco table. The lid opens to a tobacco humidor which was filled with tobacco. I'm quite confident that it's MCB, although it's as dry as a popcorn fart.
Today I finally decided to take a few ounces out and re-humidify it. I'm curious to see if 40 years has taken any of the venom out of the bite.
I second @Kmhartle 's suggestion regarding Carter Hall.
Great suggestion and I am in total agreement on Mixture 79. One of the best ways I have found to reduce tongue bite is to dry the tobac out some. I don't know if that works on all blends, but it has worked for me. I have never tried Carter Hall as a mixer. Does it impact the flavor of the biter tobac?
You’ve heard of hamburger helper?
Think: blend helper.
I have always found that to be true as well.
Solid info. Thanks!
Anything straight virginia used to bite me until I learned how to smoke them.
After 50+ years of pipe smoking, you think you know most of the answers and you do know a lot. But, pose a question to your brothers on "This pipe Life" and you find you still have a lot to learn. My thanks to you and several others.
I can't tell you how long it took me to learn what I consider the first rule of pipe smoking:
"Every pipe smoker's palate is different and no blend is the same for everyone."
The room note was what caused my new bride(some 55 years ago) to encourage me to smoke the blend. It was an affront to my manhood to have to admit I just couldn't continue until the tin was gone. My tongue survived along with my memory of a horrible smoking experience. As PappyJoe says "Every pipe smoker's palate is different and no blend is the same for everyone."
You are so right, brother. I feel like I gave it a fair shot. Not every run is a touchdown.