Experience Blending Whole-Leaf Straight Virginia

[ryeguy]

I've been caught with the idea of buying whole-leaf tobacco and trying to blend it myself. (Can't say why exactly. Maybe it is general concern with the availability of good tobacco once the FDA regulations take effect, maybe it is just a desire for that self-sufficiency that Hank Williams Jr. romanticized).
So my question, does anyone have experience with home-blended whole-leaf tobacco? Does anyone know of sources with known good recipes? Recipes that will produce something comparable to a premium commercial blend.
While I like tweeking and experimenting with recipes, I want to start with a formula I know will be smokable and work on making it better. I'm not looking to spend a lot of time and money producing blocks of tobacco that are unsmokable while I figure out the secret sauce through trial and error.
Fairtrade tobacco seems to have some discussions of this (and some of the people seem to think their home blended tobacco is better than the modern version of the classic premium blends) but most of the non-aromatic blends they are doing are Latakia blends (I am under the impression Latakia blends are more forgiving than straight VA blends). On page 6 of this thread jojjas reports a recipe for a VaPer plug that he considers a success (likening it to Capstan Blue), but I'm not sure I trust the word of one stranger that the result was good.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"I'm not looking to spend a lot of time and money producing blocks of tobacco that are unsmokable while I figure out the secret sauce through trial and error."
I fear that is most likely what you will do, at least initially. No blender gets it 'right' first time around, it's an art and as such requires much time and investment.
That said, I will wish you good luck in your venture ::
Regards,
Jay.

 

[jitterbugdude]

If you are looking for a "known good recipe" we would have to know what you like first. VaPers, Burley ? etc. I have some recipes that I really like but the issue is that I make my blends for ME and no-one else. What I like might not even come close to what you like. That has always been the dilemma that the commercial blenders face. They have to come up with a blend that most people like, not all.
I like about 30% Perique in my blends. Some people would find that amount to be way too much. So, let us know what you were thinking about in the way of a blend and we can take it from there.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

There is a casing sold by one of those whole leaf companies that is sprayed on. I've not used it.
On my homegrown, I heated up a large pot of water and added a good portion of honey to it as it boiled. I turned a colander upside down over the pot of boiling water and honey, and then I just laid the leaf over the colander for a few seconds and continued to the next. But, I twist my Virginias into ropes and twists.
I found that not many will give away a recipe for a casing. I'm not sure why. Even the homegrown guys aren't very forthcoming. But, I grow my own to use as little crap in it besides just plain tobacco. It is easier to do this with Virginias, IMO, than burleys. Some burleys have a pleasant natural flavor, but very few. Most have to have something added to slow the burn and make it taste... mildly palatable. Every burley on the market has something added, so that what we think of as a burley taste is mostly whatever was added to it.

 

[ryeguy]

Thanks, gents, for the feedback.

If you are looking for a "known good recipe" we would have to know what you like first.

Well, things I've been smoking a lot of include McClelland 2010 (Classic Virginia Flake), Capstan Yellow, Dunhill Flake, Rattray's Old Gowrie, Orlik Golden Sliced. I'm not trying to match any one of them (though I'd love to be able to), but that hopefully gives a sense of my general taste. I'm not a fan of much perique as far as I can tell.
Cosmic: Thanks for that casing recipe. What leaves do you use? How does it turn out? Also, do you need to stove the rope after you roll it?

 

[jitterbugdude]

Based on what you are smoking I'd suggest starting out with a simple 50:50 mix of Virginia Brightleaf and Virginia Brightleaf that has been Cavendished. Get a scale and weigh out the percentages. Make a small batch of about 20 grams. You don't want to make too large a batch in case it sucks. You can then up or lower one of the tobaccos to see what it does. I find that 60% Virginia is about my limit. More than that I can get tongue burn. To make the Cavendish get on the Whole Leaf Tobacco site and do a search. Basically you will moisten some Virginia, put it into a mason jar (seal it) and then pressure cook it for about 4 hours. This high temp will begin to caramelize the sugars. Done right it tastes like candy.
You could also try to toast some Burley by spraying it with a dilute sugar solution and placing in the oven on low heat, turning occasionally and respraying as you see fit. I actually toast mine by heating to 80C, spraying a sugar solution, heating to about 100C then spraying some chocolate onto it. You need to be careful with the amount of sugar you add. Most people over do it and get a bitey Burley. I mix a 1/4 tsp of sugar to a few ounces of water. This I will use on about 1 cup of tobacco.
Good Luck... the possibilities are infinite.

 

[bluegrasspipe]

Jitterbugdude

I need to try that sample blend that you made tonight. Thank you again for mailing me the generous samples!!