Mixing Blends

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chopper

Lifer
Aug 24, 2019
1,480
3,317
One of my favourite home-made blends is mixing an English with an aromatic.
My first foray into buying unknown blends over the internet was a couple of pounds of Mark Twain.
A pleasant enough aro but too moist and sticky for my tastes.
Another was London Squire, an English blend that was dry and a bit too astringent.

Nothing goes to waste here [replacement cost is $125 for 50 grams] so I started experimenting.
The Mark Twain + London Squire mix was so nice that I mixed all of it together.
A lovely all day blend.

Often I find that Virginia blends taste much better with a touch of Burley added.
Some Burley blends improve with a little Virginia.
Either way the blends become more balanced for my tastes.
Adding a little un-topped Black Cavendish also works well.
 

chopper

Lifer
Aug 24, 2019
1,480
3,317
I do the same @chopper mix just a little latakia forward mix into some 7 seas or Captain Black, and it adds quite a bit of liveliness.
There's not a lot of 'crossover' blends [that I'm aware of at least] and wonder if it's something that a lot of pipe smokers haven't tried.
Maybe adding a bit of Latakia to an aromatic may not be something that sounds appealing to many? Idk.

Have you tried Count Pulaski?
It's a very tasty example.
 

jraggreg56

Lurker
Feb 6, 2012
12
30
To get a nice Burley smoke I have been mixing PS41 with Pressed Burley John Cottons .About 80% PS41. Who else does similar mixing and what are your mixes ?
And have added HH Old Dark Fired to this, as well. Also have gone by to see Skip at the Briary a few times since they have "closed". It is still a pleasant experience to go in. New hours are on his website.
 

Apalea

Lurker
Aug 5, 2022
48
504
Italy
a good blending is 50grams SG commonwealth and 50grams SG skiff mixture. try it it will be a surprise, a memory of a real English Mixture
 
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LOREN

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 21, 2019
583
998
65
Illinois -> Florida
I will add perique to a number of blends, jar it, shake it up and leave it alone for about a month. Nothing really spectacular but a couple "this is pretty tasty" but I haven't kept any measurements or records! oh well.
 

Scottmi

Lifer
Oct 15, 2022
3,131
42,200
Orcas, WA
"Haunted Woods" is my mix of 50/50 Haunted Bookshop and Boswell's Northwoods. The drier HB and moister Northwoods mixed together make a perfect ready to smoke dryness (imho) and burns smoothly (and much slower than just HB). The Northwoods mellows out the nic-level of the HB so I can enjoy a whole bowl without feeling like I just got back on shore after a week at sea. 🥴 The ghost must be an olde Engish lady or dandy from way back as the mix releases an unexpected incense/perfume note about 1/3 of the way in, which I do not get from either on it's own... Like a scented powder of old... rose and sandalwood, or..? I speculate the perique is working some magic with the latakia. I can't quite put my finger on this haunting scent...