Miskatonic University Blend Reviews

[lordnoble]

I DGT'ed 3/4 of a bowl in a non-filtered cob and got to it a day and a half later. It was... harsh. The first few smokes were fine, but that DGT'ed one, it was like a completely different tobacco. I'm going to try DGT'ing it again tonight to see if I can replicate it in a briar.
-Jason

 

[baronsamedi]

Interesting. I have never actually tried that with this one. Of course, that's a technique I don't often use. I wonder what would cause the harshness there?

 

[photoman13]

what does DGT'ed mean?

 

[baronsamedi]

Delayed Gratification Technique. It's where you do a light, then let it go out and then pick it up and smoke it later. Works great with some blends. Obviously, not so well with others!

 

[photoman13]

Ah I did that with yours and thought it tasted the same. But it was only like an hour or so. I don't think I would do that for more than a day. I like my pipes clean.

 

[baronsamedi]

Everyone's taste is different. I realize I won't please everyone, but then again I'm not trying to. I'm just using the net to its fullest potential for R&D on this one. If the blend becomes too homogenous, it will lose its uniqueness. Likewise, if it's too "out there", it will never be a viable product other than for being smoked by me alone.
I generally have good taste in tobacco, but it's different when you are the one blending it. You tend to get sucked down a rabbit hole by things that really don't matter and lose sight of what you were trying to do in the first place. Havin gother people try it and talk about it heelps with that.
Of course that presents all-new potential rabbit holes, but so far I like the feedback, good, bad or indifferent.

 

[photoman13]

I wasn't trying to put down lordnoble at all. Just figured I would add my experiences because that never even occured to me that to tobacco would taste different after it sits in a half smoked bowl. Oh I thought I might add my girlfriend has been trying other tobacco blends and she has hated all of them.

I will definitely be a customer in the future. Are there any blends out there that are similar for the mean time?

 

[batdemon]

so even if you think it tastes like someone washed a dead cat in it, it's OK to say so.

Oooh, maybe you can try that for your next blend!

 

[baronsamedi]

Puff Puff. Hmmm. Not enough cat. Maybe. I wonder what the guys on PM would think? Hey, who wants a sample?
@Photoman- I really don't know of another Cav/Burley flavored with Lat and Perique! Maybe I'm the only one nuts enough to try!

 

[mailboylou]

As a lifelong Lovecraft fan I just had to say: That's the best name for a blend I've ever seen

 

[lordnoble]

OK, I think it was that damn non-filtered cob. The DGT'ing in the briar (my Grabow Royal Duke) tasted the same as yesterday.
The blend is a decent start of something (with more tweaking, it could be really good). The tin/baggie note is interesting as it has a smoky-sweet smell which I've never come across before. Every time I smoked it, I kept getting hints of caramel and smoked almonds. This flavor would pop in and out throughout the bowl. It did however seem a bit smokey which it turn made it a bit "rough". Not bad, just not as balanced as I would like.
I agree that a touch more Perique would add something spicy to it. Also, I think less Latakia (I can't believe I'm saying this of ANY blend) might help even out the flavor profile.
Keep tweaking and testing. Since you have the Box Pass addresses, you have a large "audience" to send small samples.
-Jason

 

[baronsamedi]

Was it the non-filtered non-filtered cob or the non-filtered filtered cob? :rofl:

Not bad, just not as balanced as I would like.

That's where I kept hitting the wall.

I think less Latakia (I can't believe I'm saying this of ANY blend) might help even out the flavor profile.

I'm thinking that and some serious aging will do this blend wonders. I'm doing a 5lb batch next so I can do some finer tweaking and I'm going to press it tight into jars and make it disappear for a couple months to age. I'm hearing the call on the Perique, too. Maybe not tons more, but a little.
How long should I age the stuff? I'm thinking 3 months would do the trick. At this stage, of course, I can age some for 3, some for 6 and on if I want just to test.
I know what you mean about wondering why you want less Lat, but Lat just likes to bully the other tobaccos in this blend. I knew I'd hear something useful from your review. We seem to have similar taste.

 

[mluyckx]

Less Latakia and more Perique ? I can't believe what I'm reading 8O
But yeah :clap:

 

[baronsamedi]

I knew you'd like that! It will be in there, though. Waiting...

 

[lordnoble]

We do. I just got a pound of sweet Black House in the mail the other day. Tip my hat to you for that one...
-Jason

 

[baronsamedi]

Haha same here. Let me guess...Bulk was backordered?

 

[morton]

Baron, when you have the recipe tweaked to your satisfaction, I would love to purchase some. I have followed this thread with interest and your blend sounds appealing and a bit different, to say the least. The caramel and almond notes in a non-aromatic have me thinking it will be right up my alley.

 

[baronsamedi]

I certainly plan to get it out there somehow. I'm being patient, though, because I really want it to be the best it can be.

 

[rigmedic1]

Finally home, and smoked three bowls of Miskatonic University from the sample tha BaronSamedi sent my way. Thanks for that, btw.
The first pipe was my UA briar Cutty, which has a tall, narrow bowl. Unfortunately, the sample sat on my desk in the Baggie for a week, and i was unable to detect any sort of aroma from the bag. After loading with a three pinch technique, I checked the draw and tasted a chcocolate note. The first light varied that same sweet, chocolate note, with a thick, billowy smoke, and it mellowed to smooth, sweet but mild taste in about a minute. Lost the chocolate overtone. About halfway down, I picked up a wisp of Latakia that hung in there almost to the end. The nicotine level caught up with me at that time. I am a nicotine lightweight, heh heh. As such, I wouldn't imbibe and smoke this at the same time.
The second serving went into my LePeltier clay. I used more of a scoop and stuff method on this, as the pipe has a smallish bowl. I got the same sweet, chocolate beginning, which lasted about halfway through the bowl, when it turned rather harsh on my throat and dull in taste, almost acrid. The latter quality I associate with Frog Morton on the Bayou, which is probably Perique. I never did pick up any Latakia in this pipe.
Lastly, I used a meerschaum, layering the tobacco into the chamber about a quarter inch at a time. I did a false light, which gave the same chocolaty start as the other two pipes. However, this bowl turned peppery right off, and remained so for two thirds of the bowl, when the taste softened and cooled, and a hint of chocolate and Latakia presented. I got another strong hit of nicotine with this bowl as well.
I like the complexity of this mix, with the sweet start and mellow smoke in the briar. The clay didn't do it justice, and the smaller bowl may have led to less than a full mix of ingredients when I filled it. My experience with the meer was somewhat different as well, with the spiciness instead of the sweet coolness. I might add that all three pipes had been cleaned and unused for about 6 weeks. My usual daily poison is burley, and I have been smoking Cerberus for a change in the evenings.
Thanks again BaronSamedi for the chance to try your blend. I would purchase some myself, and jar a bit to see what a lil time would do for it.

 

[baronsamedi]

Actually, I trid it in one of my small elizabethan clays that I bought from P&C and had a similar issue. Tiny little bowl could not get enough of each kind of tobacco to get the full flavor. This is an aging thing, too, I think, because I was smoking it new and had the flavors been given a chance to marry, it may have been better in the tiny bowl.
One thing I do enjoy is that even though the flavor isn't really big you get something different every time you choose a different type of pipe. I can't decide if I like it more in the Meer or a briar.