***What Are You Smoking, November 2025?***

[Sigmund]

A bit of HU Delight in an Il Ceppo with hot tea.

 

[telescopes]

Scopes, you sure are making this sound tasty..........

I have never mixed any blends and so this will sound like a dumb question, but do you simply place these different mixtures into a big bowl and then with hands or spatulas, just do the "tossed salad" movement with them? How long do you mix? Oh, and I can definitely see the benefit to letting them sit for a while to sort of marinate.

I am old school- you pretty much summed it up perfectly. I start proportionately with a few part of each that add up to a few ounces together and mix in a bowl with my hands until it looks properly mixed. Then I continue to add in the tobaccos likewise and mix and add and mix until eventually I have the full amount. i then jar the results, date the jars, and let it rest a spell to marry the flavors. A few weeks later it is ready to smoke. However, I always smoke a bowl prior to jarring. Because this blend has so much cavendish, it is not one for long term aging - in my experience cavendish, at least those that were used by Sutliff, don’t like long aging. That’s my opinion and I am sticking with it. I think the toppings fade poorly and loose their proper flavors. Remember, all three tobaccos in the blend are heavily topped. These like to be smoked best within a few years. It is a dessert blend after all and not a main course. In the world of wines, there are many wines. It meant for aging but rather experiencing fresh.

 

[judcole]

Not smoking today - sinus infection - but stopping by anyway.

 

[HeavyLeadBelly]

I have a name for him, I think. What I don't know is if we will/can keep him. He's a good fella, but like Harry the Hairy, he has no social skills with other cats which is causing some trouble. We're afraid to let him out of the house right now because he doesn't know where he is, and I dunno what would happen if we let him out. He might get hurt by another animal or get lost and not know how to come back to this house. Dunno what to think about it at the moment, but after Abner the Eager disappearing, it's hard deciding on his future.

Well we know one thing for certain, the cat distribution system picked you and your lady again lol

if you cannot keep the little guy take him to a no kill shelter and hope for a good adoption. Can you tell if he‘s been neutered? The local shelter here does that for no charge for surrenders and catch and release of ferals so maybe one near you offers the sane services if you bring him in for adoption.

Anyways, Ive enjoyed reading this story so far

Edit: just saw your post about neutering. I hope you get that voucher!

 

[Choatecav]

Not smoking today - sinus infection - but stopping by anyway.

Hope you bounce back quickly. Those things are a hassle.

 

[BriaronBoerum]

Courtesy of my insomnia, I just went out and had a cup of coffee and a 4:30 am Dr. Grabow 1965-1970 Golden Duke full of Stokkebye Highland Mixture (which just arrived today and I hadn't tried yet, it was fairly pleasant but needs more sampling to determine how much I like it). Earlier in the afternoon I had a couple bowls of Lane HGL (which I've recently discovered I absolutely love for some reason) in my Baraccini Bent Rhodesian.

One reviewer on TR called Lane HGL "connoisseur's crack" for a reason!

 

[HeavyLeadBelly]

Trying to ease into Tuesday with a bowl of Uhles Blend 44 in a Grabow and a cup of coffee.

 

[Goblin_Walrus]

Starting off with some Dusk in the Pete SPD 53

 

[Peter Turbo]

2026 Nording Labridor in an AKB Meer

 

[spearheadbill]

American Cut Plug Mixture… I don’t have enough to last more than a year. I recently traded a tin of old Bracken Flake for half a pound because it is a sad day indeed when I smoke my last bowl. Jobey is the pipe.

 

[telescopes]

Pipe by Lee with a bowl of Lazybones.

 

[Mortar0341]

Trying a new one, C&D Super Balkan in a Vauen Cambridge 3781. This pipe is a true tank, heavy in the hand and has a nice capacity, so it's one of my favorite Latakia burning machines. So far I'm liking this blend, quite lat forward but the orientals keep wandering in to speak their piece and the Perique pops in every so often to make a statement. Maybe this winter will be the winter of Balkans, Lord knows I got a selection of various lat forward blends from the last sale on smokingpipes.

It's also my inaugural trying out of the garage lounge, I got a light and a medium sized heater so I can stay somewhat sheltered from the incoming Northeast Ohio weather. Hopefully the heater puts off enough btus to counter that lake wind. I guess we'll see.

Hey Abe, do they have Skyline Chili up in Cleveland? I need me a garage lounge too! Stay warm buddy.

 

[ThermionicScott]

C&D Edisto in my Virginia cob. The porch is on the leeward side of the house this morning, a rare occurrence that I’m savoring.

 

[gord]

Coffee, Burley, Cob, Company.

Have been invaded and looks like they've settled in for a couple more days. One of my visitors took this snap of me puffing on a Kwiki Grape. Smoking more cigars than usual right now because I'm up and down with domestic servile guest stuff. Fortunately, they're all smokers. And fishermen, And hunters . . . next on the agenda are snowshoe hares. Those are turning color now, I understand. I'll try for a snap on the upcoming outing to a favourite lake, and we'll road hunt bunnies on the way in - 7 miles of great rabbit road.




Most of my smoking has been the selection of tobaccos for the various newer pipes I've posted lately, and things are falling into place. Rotation looks very promising, and tastebuds starting to wake up. I can taste the main flavours in complex mixes now, but not the subtleties. Just a general hint of Orientals in Balkan mixes, for instance. Wouldn't like to, but I could live with and enjoy about 65-70% of the tobaccos I have in my stash presently, so looks like the whining is going to disappear, too, or at least diminish lol

One of my guests went down to our tobacco store, Sheffields, in the mall, and bought me a new MM cob and a package of Amphora Latakia Mix. Don't know what it's called in the US but its a winner. Lots of Virginias, some Burley, and a sweet Oriental component I can actually taste on occasion. Very heavy on the Lat, and very bold. I like it, and of course smoked it in the new cob. That was my late night yesterday's smoke. Will post a pic of the combo when the crowd disperses, on the weekend.

Looking forward to a return to the forum routine this weekend. Fishing is good right now, too. Will drop in tonight and post a few if it works out. Smoking a Captain Black Rum and Peach Cigarillo right now as I type. Also a guest gift. Not bad at all.

Cheers!!

 

[xrundog]

OJK in a WDC bulldog.

 

[abecox]

Hey Abe, do they have Skyline Chili up in Cleveland? I need me a garage lounge too! Stay warm buddy.

Unfortunately both of the ones in Cleveland closed a few years ago but there's one near Akron, about 45 minutes south of me.

I'm digging the lounge so far, at the end of the month I might try and treelawn snag an easy chair or recliner that someone is getting rid of and use that instead of my old office chair. But that's another days battle.

 

[bobpnm]

Another round.

 

[Sobrbiker]

A tasty smoke from my Odds and Ends jar in the Briarlee.
Time to make the donuts…

 

[Roach1]

Pegasus in a Radice Rind . Several other bowls today in different pipes. The usual blends and pipes.

 

[Goblin_Walrus]

Some 08 Nightcap in the MiniMeer