Does anyone have the Cornell & Diehl: Small Batch Blending Kit?
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It's an intriguing idea but too expensive. I have heard that certain blenders may release their recipes in the future but I'm satisfied with the offerings we now have.
I grabbed one soon after they hit the market, and in my opinion it's well worth the price. If you're wanting to get into blending, but don't know where to start, or are feeling overwhelmed, this kit will help you get going. With everything that comes with it, including a few recipes that will help you get started, again I say it's well worth the price. Once I followed a few of their recipes, and then tweaked a few here and there, I felt comfortable enough to make a few blends of my own. It's set up for making very small batches, but it's easy enough to do the math and simply double, triple, quadruple etc., your recipes to make however much you need. I loved it. :
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If you need a little push to try your hand at mixing your own blends, this is a good way of doing it. Some of us have been improvising blends so long a kit is beside the point. Out of courtesy to the professional blenders, I call my effort mixes or mixtures. I don't use heat, pressure, nor aging, and often I am just mixing to use up tag ends of tins or jars, but I often do intentional mixes using blending tobacco -- Cavendish, Turkish, dark fired, cigar leaf, etc. Often my mixes result in surprisingly good smoking. Everything doesn't have to be Latakia or Perique, as much as I like those.
@ $99 it is tempting, I have 20 pounds of C&D bulk, its the flavorings and recipes I am curious about.
There's got to be ways of finding a better value out there if all you are really in need of are the flavors and recipes.
I've got it. It was pretty expensive, but it's a good starting point. I'd been looking at blending tobaccos, but there's so many varieties that I didn't know how to begin. The kit took care of that. I wouldn't pay full price for it again, but the jump-start it gave me was worth the extra cost, in my opinion.
Not incredibly hard to find recipes on forums, also recipes for toppings etc.. I'm quite surprised to hear it's 99$ on sale, it looks like it's worth 50$ tops. Especially with only 7 suggested recipes and the amount of flavorings, if you're serious about blending just investigate as that's not going to get you very far.
If you decide to go without the kit and just learn on the job with some blending tobacco, remember you only need an ounce or two of each, since you will be using these as condiments rather than the base tobacco, so you just need a pinch or three at a time. I'd suggest Latakia, Perique, unflavored black Cavendish, Turkish/Izmir, cigar leaf, and maybe selected Virginia and burley single leaf. Keep your recipes simple. A classic that usually works is equal parts Virginia and burley, and a hefty pinch of black Cavendish. You can embellish that with a dusting of Latakia on one occasion, and cigar leaf or Izmir on another. Be serious enough to keep track of what you have tried and how you like it, but a sense of play is also a key. You will be surprised at how good some of this is. I think for an array of five or so bulk blending tobaccos you can get these for about $30 with shipping.
I wanted this kit but the price is too high. I bet if it went for $69 they wouldn't be able to keep them on the shelves.
I stole a three quart tupper ware container from my wife and blend in that. Sorry no label or approved by inspector 65
@ mso489, I have only used VA's and Perique til now. I have a pound of black Cavendish and will blend that in with the VA for my next "navy" attempt. I picked up 20 pounds of C&D bulk last year. The 1st 2 seemed simple enough to use as a base for blending with other baccys. The rest are the basics
Cornell & Diehl: Yorktown 5 pounds "stoved red Virginia with bright Virginia and restove it. Straight red Virginia is then added to this remarkable base for sweetness"
Cornell & Diehl: Exclusive 5 pounds "red Virginias, mild Cavendish, and a full 50% Perique make C&D's Exclusive a naturally sweet and incredibly spicy blend"
Cornell & Diehl: Jamaican Rum 2 pounds
Cornell & Diehl: Red Virginia Ribbon 3 pounds 12oz
Cornell & Diehl: Black Cavendish Options: 8oz
Cornell & Diehl: Bright Virginia Ribbon 2 pound 8oz
Cornell & Diehl: Granulated Perique 1 pound
I also picked up raw leaf from leaf only
Brightleaf Virginia Flue Cured - Sweet
Saint James Perique
Brightleaf Virginia Flue Cured - Smooth
Organic American Flue Cured
The raw baccy from leaf only is the only baccy I have worked with so far.....
Cornell & Diehl: Yorktown 5 pounds "stoved red Virginia with bright Virginia and restove it. Straight red Virginia is then added to this remarkable base for sweetness"
Cornell & Diehl: Exclusive 5 pounds "red Virginias, mild Cavendish, and a full 50% Perique make C&D's Exclusive a naturally sweet and incredibly spicy blend"
Cornell & Diehl: Jamaican Rum 2 pounds
Cornell & Diehl: Red Virginia Ribbon 3 pounds 12oz
Cornell & Diehl: Black Cavendish Options: 8oz
Cornell & Diehl: Bright Virginia Ribbon 2 pound 8oz
Cornell & Diehl: Granulated Perique 1 pound
I also picked up raw leaf from leaf only
Brightleaf Virginia Flue Cured - Sweet
Saint James Perique
Brightleaf Virginia Flue Cured - Smooth
Organic American Flue Cured
The raw baccy from leaf only is the only baccy I have worked with so far.....
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