Recommend an 'incense' blend...

hiplainsdrifter · Oct 12, 2016

I am looking for a white whale blend. I prefer naturally sweet tobaccos so usually smoke Virginia flakes/VaPers. I am not crazy about latakia athough I enjoy it occasionally. I am looking for a blend that has natural sweetness (no casing/topping), and has a very fragrant incense-like room note. I am guessing my white whale blend will be a Virginia/Oriental, but I am rather unfamiliar with that genre.

sthbkr77 · Oct 12, 2016

I've gotten those notes mostly from Balkan blends. Samovar, Abingdon, and Byzantium come to mind. It can be elusive though, only to show itself sometimes with no guaranteed consistency. Normally I see the incense descriptor attributed to Lat blends even though Orientals are definitely part of the equation.
EDIT: herbal and incense-like are two separate things for me personally, eliminating deertoungue just to add some clarity.

ashdigger · Oct 12, 2016

Doesn't Black Frigate have those notes? :crazy:

mso489 · Oct 12, 2016

I think for room note you may have to settle for a tobacco-forward flavored aromatic. I smoke mostly non-aromatics, but for a really good room note, I think a compromise with lightly flavored aromatics may be your best bet. Frog Mortons have a bit of flavoring but are tobacco forward. Iwan Ries Three Star Blue falls in this camp. If you are determined to stay non-aro, stay away from Lat, Per, and burley-heavy. Some bystanders like Royal Yacht, but all of this is in the noses of the beholders.

texmexpipe · Oct 12, 2016

I think many Balkan blends might fit the bill, though I'd start with McC Grand Oriental blends, being that they feature the oriental leaves rather than the Latakia. I love Yenidji Highlander and find it to be a very incense like blend and also has a great tangy/sweet thing going on.

cosmicfolklore · Oct 12, 2016

GLP's Ashbury is one of his Fog City Selections, which all feature a fantastic Virginia forward, lightly seasoned with condiments. But, in Ashbury, where the Virginia is still forward, he has made a light Balkan. It is still very much an excellent Virginia forward in flavor, but the orientals and dashes of latakia really spice it up. I get incense from start to finish, with natural sweetness.

hugodrax · Oct 12, 2016

The Bankers hits this note for me, sir. Latakia, Orientals, virginia, and a smidgen of cigar leaf.
Ir, if you want true incense, RB Plug would give that to you. I love it, but it's not to everyone's tastes.

pagan · Oct 12, 2016

Balkan or Oriental blends be your best choice, just have to sample till you find what your looking for

agnosticpipe · Oct 12, 2016

One blend I have always felt had a kind of spicy incense smoke and taste is McClelland's 2025 English Cavendish, which is not to be confused with an English blend. (no latakia) You may want to check out the tobacco reviews for a better idea of what's in it. A broken flake that has an interesting taste on it own, but if you want it a little sweeter you can mix in an aromatic that you think would work. I usually use Sutliff Taste of Summer, which has a peach like flavor.

jackswilling · Oct 12, 2016

It is hard to beat the synergy between Orientals and Latakia. HH Latakia Flake is perfect is this regard. I don't like heavy Latakia forward blends. But without at least a light hand on the Latakia, it is hard/impossible to get an "incense" blend. Frog Morton on the Town and Wilke No. 10 are good options. A couple VaOrs that I cellar, no Latakia, are Tudor Castle, sublime, and Mature Virginia No. 24

Chasing Embers · Oct 12, 2016

+1 on Yenidje Highlander. Love that stuff.

clickklick · Oct 12, 2016

John Cotton Smyrna would also fit the bill.

hiplainsdrifter · Oct 12, 2016

But without at least a light hand on the Latakia, it is hard/impossible to get an "incense" blend.

I suspected this might be the case. I am OK with some latakia, but most lat blends I have tried are completely dominated by it, rather than a light touch. I think I will try the Yenidje Highlander and go from there.

krizzose · Oct 12, 2016

I recommend these three VaOrs (none with Latakia):
McClelland Classic Samsun

GLP Cairo

GLP Embarcadero

jitterbugdude · Oct 12, 2016

If you are really looking for a tobacco " that has natural sweetness ( no topping/casing)" then you'll have to buy whole leaf and shred it yourself.

shutterbugg · Oct 12, 2016

Give a try to Dunhill The Aperitif. It's a Scottish blend, Oriental-forward, with uncased brown cavendish, and very light on the Latakia. Probably half to a quarter of what you find in their other Scottish, MM965. Has good sweetness and a fragrant room note that gets even Mrs. Shutterbugg's seal of approval.

balkisobrains · Oct 14, 2016

Also try Orient 996. Yenidje Highlander is a good call and one of my favorites, although I have a can date-stamped 2014 which tastes a little better than my can from 2016.

cossackjack · Oct 14, 2016

C&D's Sunday Picnic: VA's with Perique & Oriental (Izmir)
1+ for GLP Embarcadero: VA's & Oriental (Izmir)

hiplainsdrifter · Oct 22, 2016

Tried the Yenidje Highlander tonight. Exceptional. I was a little worried by the tin note as all I got was latakia and a faint McKetchup aroma, but the room note was very incense like. Great flavors coming and going from the different components, I clearly tasted the Virginias, but it wasn't too sweet, the Syrian and Cyprian latakias combine to form a creamy smokiness, and the zesty Yenidje was obvious. I have heard this blend criticized because it doesn't actually have that much Yenidje in it, but who cares, it is really an exceptionally balanced blend. It is probably the best Balkan I have yet had, except for Bohemian Scandal. Easy to see why YH has so many fans.

balkisobrains · Oct 22, 2016

What year is your Y.H. tin? :puffpipe:

Recommend an 'incense' blend...

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