Scotty’s Bulk Blends English Stout - Pipe Tobacco Reviews

By Bob Tate

The pouch aroma of this blend is very smoky with quite a bit of a woody aroma as well. The Latakia in this blend is heavy. This blend is predominately black with a few specks of brown here and there. The moisture level feels like it is one the moist side, but it lights up and stays lit very well. I loaded up my pipe and proceeded to the charring light.

On the charring light:
Flavor: There is some sweetness and a light black coffee type of bitterness.
Aroma: Sweet and smoky Latakia aroma that some, like me, may love; but others will probably hate it.

I finished lighting the bowl and settled in for the smoke.
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Scotty’s Old Red - Pipe Tobacco Reviews

By Bob Tate

The pouch aroma of this blend is a nice, sweet and tangy tobacco smell. The tanginess from the Virginias makes my mouth water when I smell it. It smells great! The moisture content is perfect for smoking right away with no drying time needed. I loaded up my pipe and proceeded to the charring light.
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Interview With Master Blender Russ Ouellette - Part 1

By Bob Tate

Russ Ouellette (Blendtobac) is the Retail Sales Manager and Master blender for Habana Premium Cigar Shoppe (HPCS), also known as Pipesandcigars.com, in Albany, New York. Russ has been involved in the tobacco industry for over 30 years. He is regarded as one of the best blenders in the country and has created over 100 different pipe tobacco blends over the years, many of which are still being sold today. Russ is probably best known for the Hearth & Home Series of pipe tobacco blends that he has created for HPCS (pipesandcigars.com). I had the opportunity to talk with Russ at length about pipe tobacco and a few other things. Here is Part 1 of our interview with Russ Ouellette:

PipesMagazine (PM): Russ, you have been involved in the tobacco business on and off for over 30 years, what else have you done besides blending pipe tobacco?

Russ Ouellette: I’ve traveled a winding path. Besides that, I spent a number of years in the automotive business, I’ve done sign painting, I supervised 15 bowling pro shops and trained ball drillers, and was in the computer sales area for awhile. Also piano and organ sales, so I’ve done quite a few different things.

PM: That’s a pretty extensive background.

Russ: Yeah, it’s rather eclectic.

PM: How long have you been actually blending pipe tobacco blends?

Russ: Well, I’ve done it for about 30 years. I started doing it when I first worked, during college and after graduation, at a chain store. Then when I left the business, I still did it because I had old customers and friends who used to like some of the things that I made and they would ask me to make them for them. So I continued to do it right on through, but the heavy lifting has been in the last 5 years.

PM: What got you started in blending? Was it just your love for the tobacco leaf?
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Scotty’s Bulk Blends Milk & Honey - Pipe Tobacco Reviews

By Bob Tate

Scotty’s Bulk Blends are another brand of house blends from Pipesandcigars.com. This blend is called Milk & Honey and is only available in bulk. I am not picking up on any discernable aromas from the pouch. It is just a sweet smelling Cavendish blend. The moisture level is just about perfect for smoking. However, a little drying time wouldn’t hurt. I filled the pipe using my two step packing method and proceeded to the charring light.

On the charring light I picked up on a very light hint of vanilla and then there was nothing else really there. There was no vanilla in the aroma, just a hint in the flavor. I settled in for the smoke hoping that this blend would get better tasting as I smoked. Read the rest of this entry »