Learning to distinquish the different basic "Blends".

[collin]

In the several years that I’ve been smoking pipe tobacco, I did no more than select a tobacco from either the drug-store or the Tinder-Box, that at that time, I liked.
That was ok for a while....but no longer.
Since becoming a member here and reading about the finer tobacco blends from you gentlemen I have come to realize that I have a lot to learn.

Unfortunately I got in a big hurry and "jumped right in" and ordered almost a dozen of the bulk tobaccos that I read about in your posts. That was a mistake, not that I didn’t order several blends that I really do like now, but because I now, (after reading about the “basic blends” in an article about whether or not to dedicate those certain blends to different pipes), realize I should have approached my introduction to finer tobaccos differently. The subtle differences in the blends I chose are too subtle for this beginner to distinguish at this point. Sort of like asking a high school kid from rural America to explain the differences in between a Merlot and Chianti.

So what I’d like to do now, and I need your help, is to experience the difference between the basic types of “blends”.
From what I’ve learned the more basic types of blends are:

(1) English/Balken.

(2) Virginia

(3) Virginia/Perique

(4) Aromatics.

(according to Russ Ouellette)
Here’s where I need the help of those of you who are very experienced, (I think this will be great help to other’s fairly new to tobaccos as well);
Is there a great example of the MOST English of the English blends. The epitome of “English” purity?
Is there a great example of the MOST Virginian of the Virginia blends. Pure Virginia?
Is there a great example of the MOST Virginia/Perique blend?
Is there a great example of the MOST Aromatic blend? (a good one, and very aromatic)
My next step may have to be trying to order unblended Virginia, Burley, Perique, Latakia, etc. But I don't want to do that yet.

 

[dd951]

Tommy, this is A great post, I need those qustions answered too, I am dummer than A fence post on this subject.

 

[nativeson]

I'm really interested too!

 

[cortezattic]

I think ordering the unblended individual leaf is an unproductive approach. Mainly because you are restricting yourself to a very narrow sampling. You may, for example, be able to find 3 or 4 different, unblended Va. products. But you can't possibly sample the hundreds of varieties, crop years, curings, flavorings and aging and processing techniques available to professional blending houses. (And I haven't even considered the varying proportions!) Compound this by the interaction of other tobaccos (orientals, Perique, Latakia, etc.), each with their own variations, and you can see the task is truly daunting.
I think a better approach is to sample professionally finished blends that are representatives, or touchstones of the major tobacco genres you listed. Take notes, and go from there to draw conclusions about the various tobaccos involved.
About this List, a cut 'n' paste from the now defunct Pipe Tobacco Aging, Storage and Cellaring FAQ

The following is a list of what I am calling "tobacco touchstones" - blends that meet some combination of the following criteria:

• the blend may be one of the gold standards, or benchmarks, of its style
  
  the blend might be of exceedingly high quality, as apparent in the leaf itself, or by the craftsmanship of the blender
  
  the blend may be an exceedingly unique example for its style
  
  the blend could have a considerable reputation among connoisseurs of the style
  
  the blend might be highly recommended for its accessibility to smokers exploring the style

Note that it's very hard for a tobacco to meet all these criteria, especially both "unique" and "definitive". And so, some amount of subjective evaluation is required. In some cases, a tobacco will make it onto the list on the strength of how well they do in one category, but in general, a blend needs to be strong in several categories to make it onto the list.
A great many excellent blends available today exist outside this list, and a world-class blend's absence is no indictment. Please don't be upset if your personal favorite isn't on the list! Consider how it matches the criteria above before sending me hate mail.
The idea behind this list is to give the intermediate pipe smoker a specific and convenient list of blends to try, in order to broaden one's tastes and establish greater common ground with one's fellow pipesmokers.
Notes:
The numbers in parenthesees are mentions in Tobacco Reviews postings, as an attempt to scope how commonly a blend is used as a comparison. These numbers were generated by Googling with the following types of query: BLENDNAME -"browse by rating" -"reviewer detail" -"update blend" -"blend index" -"brand detail" site:tobaccoreviews.com ...This is a bit of an experiment!

Blends presented in italics are not currently being produced, as far as I know.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Straight Virginias
The straight, non-flake, virginia is an ancient and beloved category of tobacco, and it is fitting to begin our list of touchstones with them.

(132) Bulk No. 5100 Red Cake by McClelland

(129) Old Belt Ready Rubbed by W.O. Larsen

(155) Old Gowrie by Charles Rattray

(25) Red Ribbon by McCranie

(50) Virginia No. 1 by Mac Baren
Virginia Flakes, Light
In compiling this list, it became clear that a single list for all flakes would swell beyond a manageable size. Here are those of a light-to-medium character.

(61) Bulk No. 2010 Classic Virginia by McClelland

(36) Capstan Medium Navy Cut by Imperial

(41) Cut Virginia Plug by Fribourg & Treyer

(71) Hamborger Veermaster by Dan Tobacco

(107) Light Flake by Dunhill (Murray's) (Changed blending houses to Orlikin 2005; new recipe suspect)

(15) No. 109 Medium Flake by Astley's

(13) Virginia No. 24 by McClelland
Virginia Flakes, Full
...And here are those Virginia flakes of medium-to-full flavor.

(77) Best Brown Flake by Samuel Gawith

(93) Blackwoods Flake by McClelland

(162) Dark Star by McClelland

(233) Full Virginia Flake by Samuel Gawith

(106) Hal O' the Wynd by Charles Rattray

(228) Marlin Flake by Charles Rattray

(30) Red Flake by McCranie

(53) Scottish Flake by Robert McConnell
Virginia/Perique Blends
Perhaps no group of tobaccos has more zealous adherents than the famed Virginia/Perique mixtures. Don your robes, chant the oaths, and join the cult of Vapers...

(102) 633 by Solani

(35) Bayou Morning by Cornell & Diehl

(166) Bulk No. 2015 Virginia Flake by McClelland

(101) Elizabethan Mixture by Dunhill (Murray's) (Changed blending houses to Orlik in 2005; new recipe suspect)

(222) Escudo by A&C Petersen

(193) Haddo's Delight by GL Pease

(42) Luxury Navy Flake by Peter Stokkebye

(64) St. James Woods by McClelland

(190) Three Nuns (original) by Bell's (Unavailable for many years, but legendary!)
Virginia/Burley Blends
It became clear that a single group for Burley would not contain that beloved tobacco's various manifestations. This group pertains to blends in which both burley and virginia tobaccos share center stage.

(111) Brown Flake by Gawith, Hoggarth, & Co.

(86) Cumberland by GL Pease

(83) Long Golden Flake by Reiner

(115) Golden Sliced by Orlik Tobacco

(69) University Flake by Peterson
English Blends
The hallmark English tobaccos are the ultimate in civilized tradition. And they're stunningly popular. Look at these numbers!

(61) Commonwealth Mixture by Samuel Gawith

(129) Frog Morton on the Town by McClelland

(182) London Mixture by Dunhill (Murray's) (Changed blending houses to Orlik in 2005; new recipe suspect)

(120) Margate by Esoterica Tobacciana

(423) My Mixture 965 by Dunhill (Murray's) (Changed blending houses to Orlik in 2005; new recipe suspect)

(333) Nightcap by Dunhill (Murray's) (Changed blending houses to Orlik in 2005; new recipe suspect)

(248) Penzance by Esoterica Tobacciana

(196) Renaissance by GL Pease (Unavailable since late 2004)

(64) Standard Mixture Medium by Dunhill (Changed blending houses to Orlik in 2005; new recipe suspect)
Balkan Blends
When Latakia and Oriental share center stage, we are in geography of the Balkans.

(307) 759 by Balkan Sobranie (Unavailable for many years, but legendary!)

(40) Abingdon by GL Pease

(14) Balkan Sasieni by Sasieni

(62) Blackpoint by GL Pease

(41) Bohemian Scandal by GL Pease (Unavailable since late 2004)

(109) Caravan by GL Pease

(79) Charing Cross by GL Pease

(111) Odyssey by GL Pease
Oriental Blends
The spice and fragrance of Oriental tobaccos have the spotlight in these blends. With a few notable exceptions, this isn't a very popular grouping at this moment in history.

(28) Bulk No. 2045 Oriental Mixture by McClelland

(103) Cairo by GL Pease

(25) Campanile by James Fox

(134) Durbar by Dunhill (Murray's) (Changed blending houses to Orlik in 2005; new recipe suspect)

(299) Early Morning Pipe by Dunhill (Murray's) (Changed blending houses to Orlik in 2005; new recipe suspect)

(9) Oriental by Robert McConnell

(13) Oriental No. 14 by McClelland

(9) Oriental No. 40 by Peretti

(221) Squadron Leader by Samuel Gawith
Burley Blends
These modern tobaccos tend to be more creative and sophisticated in their handling of the tobacco than typically seen in years' past.

(150) Barbary Coast by GL Pease

(50) Burley London Blend by Mac Baren

(28) Haunted Bookshop by Cornell & Diehl

(73) Morley's Best by Cornell & Diehl

(124) Navy Flake by Mac Baren

(29) Old Joe Krantz by Cornell & Diehl
Traditional American
This is that style of blend which had its heyday in the United States decades ago, smoked by the fathers and grandfathers of today's American smokers. Generally, these tobaccos are straight-forward, sweet, and nutty.

(44) Barking Dog by House of Windsor

(41) Bourbon Street by House of Windsor

(61) Carter Hall by John Middleton

(100) Edgeworth Slices by Edgeworth (Unavailable since late 2005)

(66) Half & Half by Pinkerton Tobacco

(62) Nut Brown Burley by Pipeworks & Wilke

(151) Prince Albert by John Middleton

(90) Revelation by House of Windsor
Lakeland Style, Unscented
Blends produced in the Lakeland district of England which tend to share a certain flavor profile.

(77) Best Brown Flake by Samuel Gawith

(34) Broken Scotch Cake by Gawith, Hoggarth, & Co.

(33) Dark Birdseye by Gawith, Hoggarth, & Co.
Lakeland Style, Scented
The unique flavoring style used by tobacco makers in this region sets this group apart from both the unflavored Lakelands and the general "flavored" group, below.

(63) Bob's Chocolate Flake by Gawith, Hoggarth, & Co.

(54) Ennerdale Flake by Gawith, Hoggarth, & Co.

(60) Rum Flake by Gawith, Hoggarth, & Co.
Ropes and Plugs
"Block" tobaccos -- in rope or plug form -- are a class unto themselves. They are colloquially referred to as "nicotine bombs", for reasons which are obvious to anyone who has tried the stronger examples of this group of tobaccos.

(23) Black Irish Twist by Gawith, Hoggarth, & Co.

(12) Black XX Rope by Samuel Gawith

(6) Black XXX Rope by Samuel Gawith

(46) Brown Rope No. 4 by Samuel Gawith

(19) Coniston Cut Plug by Gawith, Hoggarth, & Co.

(15) Kendal Plug by Samuel Gawith

(7) Sweet Rum Twist by Gawith, Hoggarth, & Co.
Flavored Tobaccos
These are tobaccos which have more than a slight topping, ranging from the tastefully flavored to outright saucy.

(88) 1-Q by Lane Limited

(155) 1792 Flake by Samuel Gawith

(30) Autumn Evening by Cornell & Diehl

(138) Blue Note by Dan Tobacco

(33) Cross-Eyed Cricket by Cornell & Diehl

(30) Dark Twist by Mac Baren

(50) Erinmore Flake by Murray Sons & Co.

(225) Frog Morton by McClelland

(41) Royal Yacht by Dunhill (Murray's) (Changed blending houses to Orlikin 2005; new recipe suspect)

(41) St. Bruno Flake by Imperial

(55) Sweet Vanilla Honeydew by Dan Tobacco

Two comments: (1) The cited source FAQ is not up to date (2010), but probably as much as a decade old, (2) I can only credit a person identified as "Jason in San José" for the work.

 

[arko]

The list posted by cortezattic is pretty useful, I think! Lots of fine tobaccos included, and the only way to find your favorites is to start exploring (enjoy the ride, you're gonna have a lot of fun).
But in any case, here's my take on the list (narrowed down to three in each category, which was so hard to do!):
English/Balkan blends:
Rattray's Red Rapparee

Dunhill My Mixture 965

GL Pease Chelsea Morning
Virginia blends:
Rattray's Old Gowrie

Orlik Golden Sliced (actually a Virginia/Burley)

GL. Pease Union Square
Virginia/Perique: Note: I'm not an expert on Va/Pers!
McConnell's Scottish Cake

Escudo

GL Pease Fillmore
Aromatic blend: Note: I'm not a big aromatic smoker, I can only recommend the following
W.Ø. Larsen Signature

Boswell Hunter's Choice

 

[cortezattic]

Arko said

The list [...] is pretty useful, I think!

Ya, I agree that it is a challenging exercise in sampling. I was just posting an existing

document. I would have offered my own opinions, but I didn't want to hog the bandwidth.

(I will declare, however, that 4noggins' Prairie Wind is the best Vaper on the planet.)

I was also interested in provoking other responses, so I'm glad you ran with it.

 

[hobie1dog]

Excellent topic..I printed out the list that Cortez posted as a reference to keep in my files.

 

[collin]

I did too! And I can't wait to start ordering from it!

 

[jship079]

very nice cortezattic. I would have to add C&D opening night to the Virginia that is the best tobacco I have smoked thus far.

 

[collin]

Ok, here's what I did with the help of cortezattic's post.
I took that list and check-marked the tobaccos that were still available to me, then I read a good sampling of the reviews on TobaccoReviews.com and made the following selections for my upcoming introduction into the most basic popular blend types:
English: "Frogmorton On The Town" by McClelland
Balkan: "Caravan" by G.L.Pease
Viginia: "#5100 Red Cake" by McClelland
Burley: "Barbary Coast" by G.L.Pease
Oriental: #2045 "Oriental Mixture" by McClelland
According to the majority of reviews, each of these tobacco selections is supposed to be one of the best representatives of it's genre.
I found out today that I can order individual tins of Virginia, Burley, Oriental, Perique, and Latakia tobaccos that are sold to be used for home blending, so I can sample them each alone and unmixed,...in order to learn their smells and flavors individually. Crazy? Yeah.....

 

[iowamike]

Great topic Tommy

Thanks Cortez and Arko this helps my understanding a bit more.

 

[unclearthur]

The blending tobaccos are also available in bulk on pipesandcigars.com. A less expensive alternative to tins and you can get as little as a single ounce.

 

[igloo]

Now you just need to order the many varietals of Orientals in thier straight form .

 

[collin]

Each of the Orientals, Igloo? Hmmmmmmmmm,...... uh no.
Thanks for the heads up on the "bulk" UncleArthur, I didn't see that option, you saved me some money!

 

[igloo]

Well you could order bulk PS blends for about half the price of the tins .

 

[cortezattic]

4noggins offers a large variety of blenders in bulk form -- over 20 blenders.
BTW, the McClelland 5100 Virginia Red Cake is just one type of Va. You should really sample Rattray's Old Gowrie and some light and full Va flakes on that list from the Aging FAQ.
Oh hell, just do what I do: embark on a life-long quest to taste them all! :D Have fun!

 

[cortezattic]

Collin, you might want to look at the following link to PipesMagazine's Thinking Outside The Tin Videos.

 

[surfmac211]

That is a great reference cortez for future post on this subject. I think this would be my list for what my favorites have been the last couple months.
English: #536-English Empire by Nat Sherman
Balkan: Odyssey by GL Pease
Virginia: Union Square by GL Pease

Scottish Flake by Robert McConnell
Burley: Old Joe Krantz by Cornell & Diehl
Aromatics: Sweet Vanilla Honeydew by Dan Tobacco
Ropes: Sweet Rum Twist by Gawith, Hoggarth, & Co.

 

[pstlpkr]

4noggins' Prairie Wind

Hmmmmm, plenty of grassy flavor?

I'm intrigued.

 

[surfmac211]

Posted twice somehow. oopps