Continued Disappointment With Bulk Blends

[mtwaller]

Recently I’ve been on the hunt for a bulk blend that tastes as great as Hearth and Home BlackHouse, but they’ve been coming up short. I realize BlackHouse is a Sobranie clone, but since I’ve never had Sobranie, I’m not necessarily chasing that exact flavor specifically.

With high hopes and no small amount of excitement I recently ordered some Sutliff Sobranie Original Match and Arango Balkan Supreme. Neither one quite hits the mark for me. Arango is sort of a monochromatic lat bomb. The match is closer, but tastes a bit muted.

For the sake of being more specific, what I adore about BlackHouse is the Va-forward sweetness combined with the delicate sour incense notes from the orientals. The Latakia is condimental at best. This blend dances across the tongue and transports me to far away places, while the aforementioned bulks make me think of... tobacco.

These bulks aren’t bad blends by any means, and I know a lot of people rave about them. They just don’t inspire my ‘buds. So, all of that being said, does anyone have recommendations on bulk blends that capture that BlackHouse magic? I have no problem simply buying tins of the stuff, but it would be nice to have a slightly cheaper bulk alternative to stock up on, too.

 

[olkofri]

I was underwhelmed by bulk Chatham Manor from H&H. Glad I never ordered the tub.

 

[Akousticplyr]

I’d check out The Country Squire. Fantastic blends.

 

[olkofri]

I’d check out The Country Squire. Fantastic blends.

Hopefully they ship to Canada. I've been curious about the Middle Earth blends for quite some time.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It sucks to go in search for something that is exactly like something else. You will always come up short. But, I bet if you didn't have the same expectations, you might have found something redeeming about those blends.

I went looking for something close to Escudo, in my early pipesmoking. And, at first I was very disappointed in PS LBF, but then, I just accepted it for what it was, and now It's a favorite.

I hope you find what you're looking for.

 

[mtwaller]

I’d check out The Country Squire. Fantastic blends.

I had the happy misfortune of staying the night in Jackson, MS a few months ago on a drive back from Texas to Atlanta without realizing that The Country Squire was located there! I spent an hour or so there in the morning before I left and picked up a few of their house blends. Great shop, even better people for sure, but the blends didn’t light my soul on fire. Any ones specifically that you think would be a good match? I think I tried Rivendell and Northwest Trek which were both meh for my taste.

 

[mso489]

You know, mtwaller, it helps not to make excessively exacting comparisons with matching blends. The sourcing and blending of constituents means that you are getting a different blend. I'd age the substitutes you have and come back to them when you aren't as focused on duplicating the blend you miss. A little mixing and tuning may also reveal some qualities you might not expect. It won't be your old favorite, but it might be pretty fine, over time, with due consideration. To quote the Rolling Stones, "If you try sometimes, you will find, you can get what you need."

 

[mtwaller]

@cosmicfolklore no doubt. Wise words, indeed. I actually like the Sutliff match well enough. I’ll be keeping both baggies in my giant jar where bulks go to die. Ahem... where bulks go to age. I’ll pull them back out in a month and see what’s cooking. Might fall in love with them, who knows.

I made the “mistake” of falling in love with some really high quality blends when I first began pipe smoking, and now my taste buds are all uppity, apparently.

 

[anotherbob]

You know, mtwaller, it helps not to make excessively exacting comparisons with matching blends. The sourcing and blending of constituents means that you are getting a different blend. I'd age the substitutes you have and come back to them when you aren't as focused on duplicating the blend you miss. A little mixing and tuning may also reveal some qualities you might not expect. It won't be your old favorite, but it might be pretty fine, over time, with due consideration. To quote the Rolling Stones, "If you try sometimes, you will find, you can get what you need."

heck even the same blend from the same source isn't always going to be the same.

 

[BROBS]

try some of the Lats at Watch City. ?

 

[mtwaller]

@mso489 you and cosmic are probably right, I’ve no doubt. If I want BlackHouse I should buy exactly that. I was hoping there was a more miserly version sitting out there unnoticed, but perhaps it’s a fool’s errand. I’ll continue to stock up on tins of the real thing while I explore more options ?

 

[lightmybriar]

@mso489 you and cosmic are probably right, I’ve no doubt. If I want BlackHouse I should buy exactly that. I was hoping there was a more miserly version sitting out there unnoticed, but perhaps it’s a fool’s errand. I’ll continue to stock up on tins of the real thing while I explore more options ?

This is one thing I learned too late! If you like something, get a good amount of it and enjoy it.

I have been on a five year search trying to find the “perfect” tobacco for me, and am only now realizing that the perfect tobacco for me doesn’t exist. I need to just smoke what I do enjoy, and stop chasing down a non-existent leaf. Get some more Blackhouse and then venture off when something looks interesting. That way, you don’t have to continually be disappointed like I was haha!

 

[rushx9]

The Sutliff BSOSM Match is the Whiteknight bulk. Sutliff also makes 759 Match that is Blackhouse bulk. I like it better than Blackhouse. YMMV

 

[mtwaller]

The Sutliff BSOSM Match is the Whiteknight bulk. Sutliff also makes 759 Match that is Blackhouse bulk. I like it better than Blackhouse. YMMV

Much obliged, I didn’t know anything about the 759 bulk! I will definitely pick up an ounce and see what that one is like.

 

[sandollars]

Everytime I went out to the bulk bins to find a match to a legendary Blend, I have been disappointed. I stopped doing it. Well, not true. ONCE, I discovered I like Elizabethan MATCH as much as I do Elizabethan. They are different and do not match but the MATCH is a great standalone Va/Per.

Everytime I went to the bulk bins to find a good tobacco, I succeeded. Some of my favorite blends can be purchased in bulk but they are not replacements for legendary blends that I will also cellar.

 

[Akousticplyr]

I had the happy misfortune of staying the night in Jackson, MS a few months ago on a drive back from Texas to Atlanta without realizing that The Country Squire was located there! I spent an hour or so there in the morning before I left and picked up a few of their house blends. Great shop, even better people for sure, but the blends didn’t light my soul on fire. Any ones specifically that you think would be a good match? I think I tried Rivendell and Northwest Trek which were both meh for my taste.

I’m sorry but I’m atrocious at finding equivalent blends by flavor. My pallete isn’t as refined as many on this forum- but hopefully they have a few ideas.

Maybe give Shepherds Pie a go? My favorite aro is Old Toby.

 

[mtwaller]

@Akousticplyr I have heard loads of great things about Shepherds Pie. Sadly, that one was sold out when I visited. Perhaps I’ll order some next time I think of it and it’s in stock.

 

[Akousticplyr]

@Akousticplyr I have heard loads of great things about Shepherds Pie. Sadly, that one was sold out when I visited. Perhaps I’ll order some next time I think of it and it’s in stock.

Looks like it’s in stock now!
Shepherd's Pie (Full English/Oriental) - The Country Squire Tobacconist - https://www.thecountrysquireonline.com/product/shepherds-pie-full-english-oriental/

 

[rushx9]

Also, clarification for everyone here, the Sutliff 759 Match was blended by Russ Oullette for Carl McAllister. It literally is the "bulk version" of Blackhouse. If you were to jar it for a few months I don't believe anyone could tell a difference... unless they have a strong psychosomatic bias against bulk blends.

 

[jaytex1969]

I've not yet tried H&H Blackhouse, but I notice SPC Potlatch has the same lineup, minus the Kentucky.

It's a very busy blend and may ring your bell. It's often on sale. Not "bulk", but an 8 ounce tin is available.

HERE is a review from two years ago.