Deertongue

[frtimmyd]

My pipe mentor and I were discussing his latest experiment with blending last night and he mentioned that he was adding a little deer-tongue to it. He says this adds a little natural vanilla flavor. I'm not too familiar with this. Anyone have any experience with it?

 

[pstlpkr]

Kevin could probably impart some of his newly acquired knowledge and address your question very well.

 

[throwryuken]

i use to smoke a blend called "bing crosby" that he allegedly use to smoke. it looked like rabbit pellets and was hard to keep lit but it's defining node was deer tongue. i don't remember any vanilla taste but i definitely liked it.

 

[markw4mms]

I have a baggie of Deer tongue that was gifted to me. I have yet to try mixing it in anything. If I remember correctly, it does well with a burley like SWR.

 

[jchaplick]

I tried 'crooner' which is another bing crosby blend. It is chunks of burley and deer tongue. Vanilla, not really. Its more of an herbal flavor

 

[tokerpipes]

I was going to say earthy herbal flavor.

 

[loborx]

I have had it in C&D Crooner, as well. It imparts and herbal "vanilla-esque" aroma to a blend. The taste is more of a "mintiness". Not menthol like a cigarette. More like fresh mint you find growing wild all over the world. I like it. Some can't stand it. Bing Crosby allegedly loved the stuff. To me, it adds a very classy note to otherwise unremarkable cube cut burley. It will bite like a badger if not careful. Dedicate a pipe to it because it tends to ghost a briar.

 

[frtimmyd]

From what I'm hearing here, I think I'll ask him to send me a sample. I'm awfully grateful that Fr. John found me smoking a cig one day and suggested I try a pipe. Good guy and I've never gone wrong trusting his judgment.

 

[pawpaw]

I just finished my tin of Crooner today been smoking it at work all this week.I would agree its more of a minty flavor. It has a nice nic kick that was probly the burley .The flavor will linger on your tounge for some time and i find i need to drink more when smoking this blend than most.

This is a blend for a Cob in my book

 

[papipeguy]

C&D's Gentleman Caller contains some deer tongue. The blend reminds me of the old Half&Half of the 1970's. I really like it.

 

[thesmokindragon]

Peretti's #333 I'm smoking right now has it in it....I like it, not sure I'm getting

Vanilla from it...but a different, hard to place flavor

 

[uberam3rica]

Im not sure how I feel about smoking animal parts. I suppose Id try it though

 

[thesmokindragon]

It is a leaf, that looked like a DT ;-)

 

[uberam3rica]

It is a leaf, that looked like a DT

Ok. That makes a lot more sense

 

[captainbob]

I agree with papipeguy. Gentleman Caller by C&D is a wonderful blend containing Deer-Tongue which is an herb. To me it departs a natural cinnamon-apple flavor. There are no other flavor ingedients added to Gentleman Caller, per Craig Tarler of C&D! I always have it on hand. Furthermore, Half and Half used to contain a small amount of it. But, as I have sampled it recently, it appears to have been removed from Half & Half. I will say that according to Craig Tarler of C&D, Deer-Tongue is very hard to come by. He told me a year ago that he had ninety-pounds of it and was guarding it with his life!

 

[smooth]

Deertongue (Carphephorus spp.)
This plant is named because the leaves are shaped like a deer's tongue - long and narrow, with a reddish-purple streak at the base. It is most commonly found in damp, pine flatwoods, which are kept open by regular fires. The plant is sometimes called vanilla leaf, or wild vanilla, because of the distinct smell of vanilla when the leaves are crushed. The leaves contain crystals of a chemical called coumarin, which gives off the vanilla-like odor.
In the 1900's, the leaves were collected and sold to flavor pipe and cigarette tobacco, however, modern processes use artificial additives to enhance tobacco flavor, so deer tongue is no longer collected commercially for this purpose.
Deertongue does not grow well on high, dry land or in swampy, wet areas but prefers damp pine flatwoods that have been kept open with prescribed fire. It is common throughout North America.

 

[matchstickman]

I tried some Gentleman Callers pretty recently. Interesting flavor. Kinda tasted soapy, vanilla-ish, herbal, and a little earthy as well. It is not an everyday smoke but I think it would be great for a warm weather smoke.

 

[atuukson]

4noggings has one blend whit deertounge 4noggings Imagine never tryed it myself tho.

 

[revs]

Never tried any. I thought another blender had one or two recently with it in though. Can't find which one.
Oh well.

 

[jimbo]

I like 4Noggins' "Mojo" with deer tongue a lot better than "Crooner". It's a nice change of pace from my usual Va/burley blends. You get the vanilla nose without the nasty aftertaste that you get with goopy aromatics that have vanilla flavor added. It's real clean burning in comparison.