Homebrew Blends

[deathmetal]

House: cobguy

Blend: Sem/Per/Cav with a touch of Jameson's

House of Cobguy - Sem/Per/Cave with a touch of Jameson's comes on very gently with the oil, vinegar, olives and figs flavor of alcohol-soaked Perique, after which point the Cavendish bubbles to the top of the taste chain, backed by the strong and reliable sweet Burley cigar-like flavor of the Semois. As the bowl burns down, the Cavendish and Semois blend into a taste like cut grass that has dried in the sun, and the Perique lets down its hair and reveals more of its piquant flavoring. The Jameson's was detectable from the tin note, and seems to mellow the Perique and give it a slightly fuller flavor. If you can imagine a Va/Per with more guts and some glory, this blend could well be a joy to have in your cellar.

 

[cobguy]

Nice review ... thanks! ::
I need to smoke more of this one tomorrow as a "revisit".
Was this in a cob or briar and was it still moist or dried back to Semois crispy levels?

 

[deathmetal]

This was in a cob, which is my preferred pipe (I know -- count me the most surprised by this).
It was moist and smelled of hiqh-quality whiskey.
I would love to have this in regular rotation, perhaps even with Bright Virginia replacing the Cavendish!
But as it is, it is a wonderful all-afternoon smoke.

 

[cobguy]

This was in a cob, which is my preferred pipe (I know -- count me the most surprised by this).

I'm only ever surprised at how long it takes some folks to realize this. ::

 

[deathmetal]

Me too. When I first got into smoking (seriously), the "prevailing wisdom" was that cobs were disposable. Over time, I realized they were cheap but durable, and the best -- by far -- for tasting new blends. I do not have any snazzy briars, but I am fortunate to possess some battleproof cobs and briars.

 

[perdurabo]

Cobs Rock, once broken in they are Old Faithful.
The heading made me think this was an Add Your own Home Brew to the list. I'll add this to the topic.....Stuff is tasty but I'm still messing with it:
50%to 60% McClelland's Dark Navy Flake Cube Cut
40% to 50% C&D Granulated Perique
Cube cut the DNF and add the perique let it air dry for 8 to 12 hours. I like the DNF by itself but it's begging to be mixed with something. Why not perique? And a lot of it!

 

[perdurabo]

Smoked two bowls of the Above mixture....Wow, I'm calling it The Bear and The Eagle A Cold War Mixture. I can totally see smoking this atop A Submarine riding out to sea. The Perique totally transform Dark Navy Flake into a stout Sweet and Sour smoke with hints of spice and fig notes. Kind of reminds me of The Beast, but more complex. Looks like I'll order some more of the DNF bulk....knew there was some kind of use for the stuff. Maybe try perique with Dark Star....who knows.

 

[perdurabo]

Cobguy/Deathmetal...how do you guys introduce whiskey/Alcohol to your mixes? With Perique, I usually just drizzle the rum over the tobacco. I've read somewhere the best method is use an Alcohol infused cotton ball. Jameson sounds like a good topping.

 

[deathmetal]

House: cobguy

Blend: Black Mamba

This hearty Perique/Latakia blend reminds me of a more wild and savage take on what the Esoterica guys do: a sweet, piquant fruity and strong tobacco that like a good party reveals its different flavors in sequence and then rotates through them. It has a sweetness that comes out at times, and what smells like a light topping of liquor. A cool-smoking blend, its extremes balance one another and make for a smoky, tangy pipe experience.
Sorry all that these are so slow in coming. Busy weeks!

 

[deathmetal]

House: cobguy

Blend: Cob Krumble

Dark-fired leaf dominates the flavor of this blend, but then a mixture of Virginias pops to the front with a tangy citrus and fresh-cut grass scent. Other supporting actors seem to be present in small amounts, but the two dominant flavors -- and the reason to smoke this blend -- are the carefully-melded Virginias and Dark-fired Burleys. This blend could easily become an all-day smoke with its strong flavor, low bite, mellow progress through the bowl, and enduring chocolatey sweet flavor.

 

[deathmetal]

House: cobguy

Blend: Coffee shop

From the tradition of classic American blends, this is a Burley/Virginia mix perhaps with a hint of dark fired or Latakia, but only a hint. It smokes smoothly but is best taken slow, as this is both sweet and strong. The tin note smells faintly of coffee, but whether that is a top flavoring or a natural tendency of the tobacco is hard to tell, although it smokes like it has a slight top flavoring. This comes dry in a chunky cake which burns consistently and delivers a bowl that gets slightly sweeter toward the end.

 

[beastinview]

These sound like some yummy blends. Interesting reviews as always!

 

[cobguy]

Sorry all that these are so slow in coming. Busy weeks!

No worries ... thanks for the great reviews! ::

The tin note smells faintly of coffee, but whether that is a top flavoring or a natural tendency of the tobacco is hard to tell, although it smokes like it has a slight top flavoring.

That happened on it's own and was partly how I came to name it.

The light casing has ginger, cinnamon, apple cider vinegar and a touch of Turbinado sugar.
Have you braved either snuff sample yet? :P

 

[deathmetal]

House: Cobguy

Blend: Cob Krumble

I saved this treat for last: a meaty granola of different tobaccos. In flavor, it is an American English that leans toward the mainstay Virginia/Burley combination and flavors it with what tastes like a mixture of Perique, Dark Fired and a smidgen of Latakia, perhaps. These are then compressed together and "crumbled" (hence the name) into a very tasty mixture. What hits first is the smoky flavor, with broad Burley merging into Virginia for a type of dry leaves in fall with the sweetness of fresh cut grass flavor, at which point a slight peppery flavor emerges as what tastes like Perique merges with Dark Fired which is possibly lightly spiced with Latakia. It burns consistently through the bowl and rewards gentle breath smoking with a consistent burst of flavor in which each of the constituent tobaccos is both in harmony and necessary on its own, like minor key notes in a chord standing out in an otherwise mostly major progression. The flavors work together at first and then separate as the smoke smoothes out over the tongue, creating a sensation like being in a storeroom or cellar with many delicious options on the shelves, their smells melding into an overall delicious flavor. The competition is stiff, but this may be my favorite of the House of Cobguy blends!

 

[deathmetal]

So, the Guy Of The Cob sent along some raw leaf... wow!
I tried the "Lightly Dark Fired," which is similar to Dark Fired Kentucky Burley, by just wadding it up and sticking it in the pipe.
Hard to keep lit, but one of the most rewarding smokes in my life.
@cobguy:

Have you braved either snuff sample yet?

I have not been brave enough, to be honest. I have never done stuff, and fear I will die!

 

[cobguy]

I have never done snuff, and fear I will die!

LOL
I prepped a bunch of LFC and Natural Burley today for a new plug. Warrior is expensive, War Horse is back-ordered and I'm impatient. ::

 

[newbroom]

Great 'thread'!

I'm reading this as I smoke from a 100 yr old carved eagle claw CPF some home brewed tobacco using C&D and McLelland products including Latakia and Perique for under $2.00 an oz. and I'm loving it. I'm easy too, I guess.

 

[deathmetal]

House: Cobguy

Blend: Cob Twist

This sample was generously donated by Perdurabo, master of the Rum/Per.
Arriving in twist form, this tobacco requires slicing and rubbing for a nice even smoke, but this process unleashes the scents of multiple forms of leaf. At first light, the dark fired dominates, but then the Virginias swarm to the forefront, backed up by a stolid Burley warmth. The result is a solid smoke that does not lack nuance, but instead blends these many leaves into a singular tobacco flavor in which the different types take the lead like dance partners. This is not wimpy; instead, it provides a reasonable amount of Nicotine balanced by full flavor, so all seems in harmony between ingredients. The masterful stroke of this twist is that the Burley takes a background role but moderates the Virginias, so that sweetness does not overwhelm the flavor, but complements it. This would be an easy and rewarding all-day smoke.

 

[deathmetal]

I prepped a bunch of LFC and Natural Burley today for a new plug.

All hail the new plug!

home brewed tobacco using C&D and McLelland products including Latakia and Perique for under $2.00 an oz.

This is the future... buy bulk, make your own flavorful blends! I share your spirit and similarly enjoy my homebrew creations, and those of others.
Currently trying to figure out how to trade my car for more Cob Twist...

 

[cobguy]

The Metal Mixtures ... Hellhammer
I've only had one pipe full of this but am already completely enamored. It's a very full, robust blend with what seems to be mostly Mahogany Burley and Cigar Leaf with just enough Virginia to round it out and add a touch of sweetness. There is also a very light topping that is mostly present just in the bag. The smoke itself is smooth and creamy and burns easily. To make a general comparison, imagine C&D Billy Budd without the Latakia.
Another winner in my book ... nicely done! :clap: