Mixing blends or other tobacco to make your own blend.

Wolf41035

So who here mixes different tobaccos or mixes store bought blends and mixes it to make your own blend of heaven?
 
I personally like getting bulk flavors or blends and mixing them to make something new and different, I have been writing down what blends I use and how much so when I get really great blends I know exactly how to get the same blend again.
 
So if you have dabbled in blending share what you have done or your thoughts on this.
 
If you haven't then lets talk about why you have the blend you have and why you have never tried to make it better or if you just never thought about doing it.
 

Wolf41035

So far I have made two good blends, one I cal Trick or Treat, it is my Halloween blend and the other is called it's cold outside, it is my Winter relief blend.  
 
Trick or Treat has hints of everything kids get when trick or treating, mostly candy and such with a trick or two hidden in every bowl you smoke.  LOL
 
The Winter Relief has all them good Winter baked goods rolled up in each bowl.
 
My Next Blend is going to be Fall is Here.
 
In the plans is Spring has Sprung.
 
Have a few more to make but not going to mention them until I have them all figured out and ready to test.

Wolf41035

Well no one wants to talk about mixing Blends....
Guess I will let this topic die......
Was going to give away a couple samples.....but....I guess everyone finds what they are comfortable with and never take risks to see if something else is out there they might like or wont try to mix their own......Sad. 
OK Last comment from me, this post is DEAD....LOL

PappyJoe

@wolf41035 - you just started this yesterday. Give it time.

Bphasty

Sorry boss, I'm a pipe-noob so I haven't. But I did buy some Three sails & Lane BCA, I'm wandering since Three sails is kinda grassy, wheaty & BCA is more aro if I could mix the 2 for a fuller flavor but no clue on proportions.

PappyJoe

I have two thoughts on the matter.

To me, blending two blends together to get something new has always seemed to be an effort to solve one purchasing mistake by adding something else to it. I have in the past, done this myself. I bought something I thought was going to be a great smoke and it was rough and unsatisfying. Put it in a jar with some Carter Hall and it became smokeable.

On the other hand, some people want to create their own special tobacco and take two that they enjoy and mix them. I know a few pipe smokers who do this. One friend takes an aromatic and mixes it with a straight Virginia and swears by it. 

Wolf41035

I was messing with everyone PappyJoe, just thought it would be fun to push a few people into commenting for a change.  
I have some blends I don't like but to cover them up with stuff I like would be painful because I would be afraid of ruining good tobacco.
As for the second comment about taking two blends you like to make a better blend, I do that but you always chance making two good blends bad, that is why I do small amounts and keep measurements so I can increase them right if I like the taste and smell of what I make.....kind of a catch 22 I guess since I could do the same with stuff I don't like.....LOL
Personally I would rather trade, sell or give away the stuff I don't like and get something new I haven't had yet or maybe something I really like.
Fact is you don't have to use store/company blends, you can find different types of tobacco to buy and blend your own, some have aromas you can mix and others are just types of tobacco, key is mixing the right ones to have a good burn yet have a great taste/aroma.

PappyJoe

@wolf41035 - That's okay. Like I said, I know old pipe smokers who like to tweak some of the blends. They find one they like and start thinking they can improve on it with a pinch of latakia or orientals. 

I went a different route when I was searching for just the right tobacco for me but I worked it out with Jon David Cole at The Country Squire to create two private blends. 

They are available to anyone who wants to buy some, you just have to call Jon David and ask for them.

Wolf41035

OK I have to agree what I heard said in another Post, the FDA is going to cause problems with custom mixing Blends, each tobacco is going to have to go through a test and have certification/papers, just not sure if some older blending tobacco will be grandfathered in to the new system like some older Cigars and Pipe Tobacco will be. 
Personally I think we should be able to buy these single blends/Tobacco and make our own flavors/Aromas but the FDA has to regulate everything!!

Wolf41035

OK Everyone we need a list of places you can get single Tobaccos to make your own blends.....Lets see them LINKS.
 
Thanks

Wolf41035

I will add some the end of this week unless someone else adds ones I have.  lol

Wolf41035

This evening or Tomorrow I am going to Strauss, going to see what kind of Blending Tobacco they have and check out their house blends. 
Any requests?  LOL

PappyJoe

I'm holding off on any more purchases until November. Decided to smoke through some of my open jars and tins first.

Wolf41035

Not me I am stocking up which I shouldn't, Dr, might be telling me to stop smoking Pipes and Cigars and if that happens I will be selling and trading everything I have.

Woodsman

The only tobaccos I use in blending is Black Cavendish(Good to reduce excessive strength.), Virginia(Sweeten), Latakia and Perique(Spice). I use very little of the last 2. I harvest Deer Tongue which I use VERY sparingly to add that hay flavor.

Wolf41035

@ Woodsman Nice.
@PappyJoe I finally got to the Straus Tobacconist store and found out both the Holiday Blends are on back order, I managed to get on a list for both.  If you call you should be able to get on the list and they can ship it to you, if not I am getting enough to share some. 
Sorry I have not been on in almost five days, it has been rough and I have not been feeling very good. Went to Specialist today and he says I need surgery on my neck, just waiting for them to call and get something set up........Already told them to let the surgeon know I am not getting anything done during Deer Season!!  
Anyway I have been feeling bad for many health reasons so I might not be on here as much, I will miss you guys but I will try to get on once a week.

PappyJoe

@wolf41035 - the important thing is to take care of yourself.

I thought Straus blended their own. 

thesubcon

I do it whenever I either see a deficiency in a tobacco(or a few), or I see an opportunity. I haven't had a bad batch yet. I attribute that to just observation of my own blends and a bit of luck. I even mixed our long smoke competition blend this quarter. Here's the three ones I've done in order:

seasonal fall vanilla:
Cornell & Diehl -
Autumn Evening
East India Trading Company -
Officer's Club
mix 50/50
smokes REALLY easy...pack it with your eyes closed easy

breakfast for dinner:
Scotty's Blends -
Scotty's Pancake
McClelland - No.620 Mocha Black
mix 50/50
It's great for the evening but works just fine for a first morning smoke

long smoke mixture:
50% G.L. Pease - Virginia Cream
20% The Country Squire Tobacconist -
Green Dragon
20% Carter Hall
10% Cornell & Diehl -
Autumn Evening
smokes like a virginia enough for the virginia guys, and at least interesting for people who like flavor. (yes that is a dig on virginia smokers)

Wolf41035

@PappyJoe I am sure they do but they have to order what they mix and they are out so they can not make their blends until their supplies come in, I am on the list so they know what I want.
@thesubcon Nice blends and it is good to keep them wrote down somewhere, if you don't mind I would like to try a couple of your mixes.

idbowman

I have a personal blend I make using bulk blending tobaccos:

30% Red Virginia
20% White Burley
20% Toasted Burley
20% Perique
10% Dark Fired Kentucky

Wolf41035

@idbowman Do you have a name for your blend? What is the Aroma and Taste? I like Fire Cured especially Kentucky Fire Cured.  lol

Jeedub

I'm fairly new to this hobby so I haven't dabbled into the mixing my own yet. I have combined two of my favorite blends from left overs. One I have enjoyed quite a lot is Mississippi River/Frog Morton's Cellar 2/1. I only had enough for 2 bowls but I want to try it again. 

Wolf41035

@jeedub that is usually how it starts, you have a little of this left and a little of that left and you put them together and before to long your wanting to see what a little of this is like with a little of that and then you start wanting to get aromas that pop up in your brain and by then you have so many blends you could go into business selling them.....but you don't because you want to keep them for yourself and don't want to deal with the BATF!  LMAO 
Mix what you want, when you want and enjoy but remember to write down your mixes so you can go back to them when you have a craving for that blend you made a few moths ago. 

bluespiper

I have only had experience adding certain tobaccos to blends but not making blends from scratch, which I hope to do in the future. So far I have found 2 great tobaccos that soften or enhance unsavory blends: Mac Baren Virginia No. 1 for brightness and Super Value Natural Cavendish for a light burley note. Both add sweetness and are great smokes on their own (although the cavendish is a little one dimensional). I can't wait to dive into straight blending leaf.
Any tips on which brands offer the best quality blending baccy?

idbowman

@wolf41035 I call it "Municipal Stadium."

It tastes pretty much as you'd expect from the ingredients...some sweetness from the VA, quite a bit of smokiness from the the burlies and DF, and plenty of spice from the large proportion of perique.  I enjoy it quite a bit.  @Pipeman83 has tried it, he might be better at describing it than I am.

thewanderingdude

I like mixing 1 part each of BCA, 1Q, and Sir Walter Raleigh together. Great fiddle around the shop smoke.I call it "Sir Mix a Lot".

pipeman83

Your pretty much right on @idbowman.

Wolf41035

Sounds like we have a topic here, anyone else have blends they mix or make their own? 

idbowman

@thewanderingdude as far as blend names go, that's a winner.

Topaz75

Here's how old I am: In my youth, I regularly prepared a splendid mixture of John Rolfe, Brindley's, and Flying Dutchman. I doubt if any of these blends are still available, so I guess there's no going back. It did seem like a good idea at the time.

thesubcon

@wolf41035 Dude be my guest. I really like just farting around with things I already like. I hope you enjoy the ones you try.