For over 40 years, I've smoked a blend of tobacco made specially for me by the late Master Tobacconist, John Dengler. It was originally designed to mimic the Tinderbox blend, Crown Royal, but at the time, that blend was a "trade secret". Today, we know it is Peter Stokkebye Vanilla Creme. Regardless, John came up with something very close. I remember him putting some Crown Royal I had brought him into his mouth and then writing down some notes. His invention was to add some nugget flavored tobacco, a rich and smooth mixture of Burleys and Lemon Virginias with hints of caramel, nuts, and creamy vanillas to a Lane product that was almost a match.
I christened the blend, "Telescopes" after my CB radio moniker from back in the 70s.
Decades later, I fell in love with another one of his own blends, "Black Maria". You have probably read about this blend from several of us on this forum. Without giving too much a way, it is in fact built on a base that is widely known and a cousin blend of the same base that I use for my own blend. The difference is that it has Latakia and Perique added to it to make it a pleasant English blend. The description in his shop read, "Favored by many of our Doctor friends. A fermented Virginia base instead of the traditional bright masks the Latakia which their nurses detest." As someone who used the title in the professional world, I always got a kick out of the description.
John is long gone now and his son-in-law has recently sold the shop, although it is still operating as it had for over a century under John's name - for now.
I decided it was time to alter my own blend and decided to model the changes using the formula for Black Maria. Keep in mind the base blends are different - but the ratio for Latakia and Perique are the same.
My question to you in the pipe tobacco home blending world is this: Have you ever blended anything similar to what I write below and if so, what were your experiences with the blend?
The Doctor's Blend is as follows:
8 oz of Lane BCA
3 oz of Sutliff SPS 24 Nugget
3 oz of blending Latakia (Sutliff)
2 oz of blending Perique (Sutliff)
I christened the blend, "Telescopes" after my CB radio moniker from back in the 70s.
Decades later, I fell in love with another one of his own blends, "Black Maria". You have probably read about this blend from several of us on this forum. Without giving too much a way, it is in fact built on a base that is widely known and a cousin blend of the same base that I use for my own blend. The difference is that it has Latakia and Perique added to it to make it a pleasant English blend. The description in his shop read, "Favored by many of our Doctor friends. A fermented Virginia base instead of the traditional bright masks the Latakia which their nurses detest." As someone who used the title in the professional world, I always got a kick out of the description.
John is long gone now and his son-in-law has recently sold the shop, although it is still operating as it had for over a century under John's name - for now.
I decided it was time to alter my own blend and decided to model the changes using the formula for Black Maria. Keep in mind the base blends are different - but the ratio for Latakia and Perique are the same.
My question to you in the pipe tobacco home blending world is this: Have you ever blended anything similar to what I write below and if so, what were your experiences with the blend?
The Doctor's Blend is as follows:
8 oz of Lane BCA
3 oz of Sutliff SPS 24 Nugget
3 oz of blending Latakia (Sutliff)
2 oz of blending Perique (Sutliff)
