Harsh Blends

[mso489]

I can find a good smoke in many genres of blends or single leaf, but now and then I run up on a blend that is too harsh to be flavorful. I'm not talking about tongue bite, though sometimes that comes with it. I'm talking about a flavor that just tastes like bite. I've run into this with a Mac Baren blend or two, one a mixture of about eight tobaccos, years ago, that I haven't seen since. I got a little of that with Half-and-Half which surprised me since most of the codger blends are pretty friendly. Have you come upon blends that just seem to have an unfriendly attitude? Interestingly, this doesn't usually happen with strong blends; they're strong but not harsh usually.

 

[tavol]

Certain burley blends can feel like sore throat when I sip. The last one I remember was McQuaid plug which was upsetting as on the snork it was delicious.

 

[mso489]

Oddly, few non-aromatics taste harsh to me, and seldom burley, unless there are too many constituent tobaccos that are not skillfully blended. The strongest leaf and/or blends I've tasted have not been harsh, though they earned my respect with high nic and huge flavor. I really appreciate blends with six or more tobaccos that are not harsh; I think that is the badge of blender artistry. PC Midtown Chestnut and SPC Potlatch fill that bill for me.

 

[artvandelay007]

For me Picayune is harsh for sure. Dark Bird’s Eye is pretty harsh but not as bad. For me the test is the retrohale.

 

[Casual]

For me, this seems to be C&D burleys. No bite, but harsh. I prefer burleys from a blender not averse to sprinkling some sugar on them.

 

[anotherbob]

Savinelli- Doblone d'Oro 100g - http://www.marscigars.com/savinelli-doblonedoro.aspx this stuff while super amazing sometimes has this acrid hint of tire fires and fresh asphalt. Not sure what in it does that but it's harsh especially in the middle of enjoying something so much.

 

[anotherbob]

Peterson- Sunset Breeze - http://www.marscigars.com/peterson-sunsetbreeze.aspx oh and this one is the most biteiest thing I've ever touched in my life. I think I'd still get bitten by this one fresh and dried (new tin, a portion left out to desiccate mildly). I know that is not what you were talking about. I assume you don't mind.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I've got a couple of ounces of stokkebye French vanilla, that stuff has the harshness you're talking about. I've found after letting it dry for a month and smoking very carefully, I can force it to be a good smoke. I always revisit the blends I don't like at first, because being a family man running a one income family, I can't really afford to buy something I can't smoke.

 

[Sonorisis]

All the GH shags are pretty "harsh" and semois is "harsh" and OJK is "harsh" -- but they're also all excellent smokes. Slow down.

 

[ray47]

C&D's Autumn Evening is harsh to my tastes.. It causes my throat to become sore and just tasted very acrid. My wife absolutely hates this blend. I'm not a hater, it just doesn't suit me. I used to like it, but in time it took it's toll. I regret this because I really wanted to like this blend.

 

[workman]

Dunhill's Elizabethan is harsh if I'm not very careful with my cadence.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I'm not sure I understand the harshness you guys mention. Picayune is a very mellow but bold VaPer on steroids as far as strength, but smokes very smoothly for me. Autumn Evening is just sort of an unexciting aromatic, not different than 1Q or any other aromatic, but I don't notice harshness.

I am sure that I have felt harshness, but just which blends do it for me elude me.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Presbyterian Mix, as I remember, seemed harsh to me. As well as Early Morning Pipe... But, I haven't smoked either of those in years.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Yea. We all might be defining harshness differently. Can you elaborate on that mso?

 

[artvandelay007]

I'm not sure I understand the harshness you guys mention. Picayune is a very mellow but bold VaPer on steroids as far as strength, but smokes very smoothly for me. Autumn Evening is just sort of an unexciting aromatic, not different than 1Q or any other aromatic, but I don't notice harshness.

I am sure that I have felt harshness, but just which blends do it for me elude me.

When I replied I was thinking of the feeling I have when I tried to retrohale a cigar. I can’t do it it’s an overwhelming feeling. I start coughing like crazy. Picayune was nothing like that for me but it approached it. Dark Birds eye less so. Most other blends there is no burn or discomfort at all. I’ve seen some others do that with a cigar but no way I can.

 

[perdurabo]

C&D Big &Burley was harsh to me. But something like OJK isnt??‍

 

[smokiespipesmoker123]

I found mad fiddler flake harsh, but I’ve only had it once

 

[chopper]

I've got a couple of ounces of stokkebye French vanilla, that stuff has the harshness you're talking about. I've found after letting it dry for a month and smoking very carefully, I can force it to be a good smoke. I always revisit the blends I don't like at first, because being a family man running a one income family, I can't really afford to buy something I can't smoke.

Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing goes to waste here.
I've yet to buy a blend yet, that I couldn't 'fix' by adding in a 'mixing' tobacco.

Windsail Virginia is a brilliant mixer. I've also bought a pound each of Latakia, Perique, Turkish & Black Cavendish.
The PS French Vanilla I'd mix in some Windsail.

Off course one experiments with very small batches to start as it's all to easy to make a blend worse, lol.

 

[geo4]

C&D Exclusive. Allegedly 50% Perique. Looks like less, feels like more. It irritated my throat and mouth like no other blend has.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

To me it's mainly aromatics. I have an open tin of Rattray's Tower Bridge and while I love the smell and it tastes nice it's always a tad harsh. I've tried it at all different moisture levels and bone dry seems to be the best.
I don't have any problems with the Gawith aromatics like Ennerdale Flake though which is just one of the many reasons I love their tobaccos.